Councilman Questions Need for Atlantic City Airport Study

Galloway Councilman John Mooney criticized a study approved by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey last week to spend $3 million to study the possibility of taking over Atlantic City International Airport. The criticism came during a council meeting on Monday, Sept. 24.

“Why not put out proposals to get a study?” Mooney asked. “How do you throw a number like $3 million out there? This seems like a situation where they already have the back page of the report written and now they’re working backwards to get the reasons.”

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, the Port Authority is conducting the study in order to decide whether or not it can run the airport more efficiently while reducing air travel congestion.

“The airport has a significant impact on our residents,” Mooney said. “There are a lot of people in Galloway who work in the airport. This could have a significant impact on our community, and I urge everyone to keep an eye on this.”

Mayor Don Purdy believes the airport is underutilized.

“It has no terminals and no airlines,” Purdy said. “It needs more attention brought to it.”

“The potential is there for growth,” Councilman and Associate Professor in Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Brian Tyrrell said in a phone conversation Wednesday morning. “If there’s any room for growth in the congested areas, it’s down here.”

Tyrrell attributes the airport’s difficulties in keeping airlines to the fact that the area’s biggest attraction, Atlantic City, sees a lot of travel into it via motor vehicle.

“Much of Atllantic City’s use is as a vehicle for residents of South Jersey,” Tyrrell said.

During Monday’s meeting, Councilman Jim Gorman said he doesn’t want to see the Port Authority take over the airport and have South Jersey’s voice removed from the decision making process.

“I don’t want to see a situation like with the Turnpike Authority where you have no representation from South Jersey on the authority. We need to get our needs taken care of.”

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority consists of eight members, seven of whom are appointed, but there is no representation from southern New Jersey. Sen. Christopher J. Connors has been working on getting some representation on that board, but to date, the situation remains status quo, despite a vacancy on the board.