Crains New York - January 7, 2013 - (Page 6)

Airport group’s boarding call Business-backed effort to fix area’s three dated facilities BY ANDREW J. HAWKINS When developer Joseph Sitt returns to New York from places like Paris, Singapore and Dubai, walking through John F. Kennedy International Airport triggers two emotions. “Embarrassment,” he said, “and jealousy.” Flight delays, poor signage, lousy service and 1960s-era architecture at New York’s three regional airports have long irritated Mr. Sitt, the founder of Thor Equities. As a frequent traveler and heavy investor in the retail and tourism industries,Mr. Sitt is now doing something about it. Reaching out to stakeholders in business, civic and labor circles, he has founded the Global Gateway Alliance to address the problems facing Kennedy, La Guardia and Newark Liberty International airports. He’s seeded the advocacy group with $1 million of his own money and envisions a media and lobbying organization that will be businesses’ voice for the airports. “Forty years ago, we were rated the No. 1 airport,” Mr. Sitt said of JFK. “We’re now rated last, 26 out of 26 major airports in the world. That’s a mind-boggling statistic— from first to worst.” Group organizers are looking for an executive director with aviation experience who commands the spotlight—such as Capt. Chesley Sullenberger, though he is likely to be too pricey. They also plan to hire a fundraiser and lobbyist. Publicrelations firm SKDKnickerbocker has been retained to handle press. The group’s participants view it as a “Straphangers Campaign on steroids,” said one. In addition to pressuring government to invest more in airports, the alliance will tackle subjects such as the need for terminal space to accommodate carriers from emerging economies. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates JFK, La Guardia and Newark airports, often doesn’t articulate its financial and infrastructure needs, a source close to the group said. And the Bloomberg administration appears untroubled by the airports, said the source, adding that private-jet owner Mayor Michael Bloomberg rarely sees them from the inside. “We need a mayor who flies commercial,” the source added. (A Bloomberg spokesman huffed, “It’s always nice to hear someone who has no idea what the mayor is thinking bloviate on what the mayor is thinking.”) Port Authority Executive Director Patrick Foye said he welcomes the effort. “Many of our facilities are aging and in need of significant capital infrastructure investment to ensure the continued economic growth of the region,” he said.“We have met with and look forward to working with the Global Gateway Alliance.” This is not the first such effort. The Regional Plan Association launched the Better Airports Alliance in 2010. Its first conference was delayed by a massive blizzard, and the group is awaiting action from the Federal Aviation Administration before reconvening. An RPA spokeswoman said there is “always room for more advocacy.” Mr. Sitt, a Brooklyn native who clashed with City Hall over the redevelopment of Coney Island, serves as chairman of the Global Gateway Alliance. Other board members include Kathryn Wylde,president of the Partnership for New York City; Joseph Spinnato, president of the Hotel Association of New York City; and Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Board member Mitchell Moss, a professor of urban planning at New York University, said the alliance will seek to make airports a priority. “Our congressional delegation treats the airports as sources of noise,” he said, “not sources of jobs.” THE INSIDER by Andrew J. Hawkins, Chris Bragg and Erik Engquist Developer Joseph Sitt kicks in $1 million Fearless predictions for 2013 hat will the new year bring in New York politics? With a mayoral race, a new legislative session in Albany and a reinvigorated Congress, the possibilities are endless. Our forecast: Bill de Blasio (right) announces that if elected mayor, he will name his wife, Chirlane McCray, first deputy mayor. “New Yorkers can’t get enough of my family,” the public advocate says in an unscripted moment. City Comptroller John Liu avoids indictment as investigators can’t prove he knew of illegal campaign donations, but the Environmental Control Board fines his mayoral campaign $1 billion for stapling posters to every lamppost in the city.“The six-figure penalty against Mr. Liu’s 2009 campaign didn’t stop him,” says Sanitation Commissioner John Doherty. “This will finally put an end to illegal postering, not to mention John Liu.” Bill Thompson, whose weak fundraising for the 2009 mayoral race cut his TV spots to 15 seconds,announces that his 2013 ads will be just five seconds. “That’s enough time to lay out my vision for the city,” he says. Pundits agree. Republican mayoral hopeful George McDonald, who had planned to raise money in $40,000 chunks but this month asked donors for $20.13, lowers his request to $2.13. “This will get people in the door,” he declares. “At the very least, we should be able to buy some campaign pins.” Another GOP candidate, Manhattan Media Publisher Tom Allon, sues the Quinnipiac Poll for omitting him from surveys. Quinnipiac director Mickey Carroll responds, “Who’s Tom Allon?” Joseph Lhota (below) makes Greg David an adviser to his mayoral campaign, noting that the Crain’s columnist first suggested he run. “My advice for Joe is to knock on the door of every Republican in the city,” Mr. David tells a reporter. “That should take a day or two.” Mayor Michael Bloomberg condemns but does not deny reports that he called Bill Clinton, Derek Jeter and Lady Gaga to gauge their interest in succeeding him.“Don’t try to put a wedge between me and [Council Speaker] Christine Quinn,” he barks. “I happen to be a big fan of Ms. Gaga.” Ms. Quinn waters down legislation mandating paid sick leave so it applies only to restaurant workers with names beginning with the letter Z who get sick on Tuesdays. The Manhattan and Brooklyn chambers of commerce object. The Legislature passes Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s budget just four days after his Jan. 9 State of the State address. The governor’s threat to use budget extenders persuades lawmakers to approve his spending plan sight unseen. “Most bills we don’t read anyway,” one says. State Senate co-leaders Jeff Klein and Dean Skelos fight over the best spot in the Legislature’s parking facility, throwing the chamber into chaos. Mr. Cuomo settles things by parking one of his muscle cars in the spot,and bans crashprone Sen. John Sampson from the garage. Just months after being elected the first female conference leader in New York history,Sen. Andrea StewartCousins opens campaign committees to run for state comptroller, the Assembly and the Yonkers City Council, raising the number of Senate Democrats pursuing other elected office to 19. Harlem Assemblyman Keith Wright is appointed by the governor to replace Mr. Lhota as MTA boss. Mr. Wright, who chairs the Assembly’s Labor Committee, state Democratic Party and Manhattan Democratic Party and is in the running to helm the Assembly’s Housing Committee, says he’ll squeeze the transit gig in on Friday afternoons. Sens. Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand (above) push gun control in Washington. He calls for a ban on assault weapons, while she seeks to limit the number of guns that can be stored under one’s bed. W Crain’s Insider, our award-winning politics newsletter, is now a blog. Read it every day at www.crainsnewyork.com/insider 6 | Crain’s New York Business | January 7, 2013 bloomberg news, buck ennis istockphoto http://crainsnewyork.com/2013BOL http://www.crainsnewyork.com/insider

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Crains New York - January 7, 2013

IN THE BOROUGHS
IN THE MARKETS
THE INSIDER
SMALL BUSINESS
BUSINESS PEOPLE
OPINION
REPORT: ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
GREG DAVID
FOR THE RECORD
REAL ESTATE DEALS
CLASSIFIEDS
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
SOURCE BREAKFAST
OUT AND ABOUT
SNAPS

Crains New York - January 7, 2013