El Toro Airport and the High-Tech Future
* The two articles in the Times on July 9 and 10, “Dreams of High-Tech Passing O.C. By” and “Trying to Change High-Tech Landscape,” were excellent analyses of the current condition of Orange County’s business and its future prospects.
It is refreshing to look at an honest, in-depth study of important economic factors and trends for the future.
Orange County is losing the competition for high-tech companies and is described as having a suburban culture more suited to “old economy” companies than fast-paced Internet firms.
The vehement opposition to the El Toro airport is a good example of a culture which is looking backward with nostalgia instead of welcoming the opportunity to connect directly with the global economy by means of an international airport.
Recently South County cities have poured $23 million into opposing the airport, another example of misplaced priorities.
If Orange County throws away the gift of the El Toro airport, it will only accelerate the decline of opportunities here.
Without easy access to global trade and cutting-edge technology, Orange County cannot compete with other more attractive venues.
We will have instead more and more acres of houses and shopping centers, urban sprawl, on the 4,700 acres of the El Toro base and 14,000 acres in the buffer zone.
SHIRLEY A. CONGER
Corona del Mar
* The Times article “Dreams of High-Tech Glory Passing O.C. By” reminded me of a business meeting I attended about five years ago.
A speaker from San Diego mentioned the importance of an international airport for attracting corporate firms to relocate in a city.
The above article stated Orange County was lagging behind both L.A. and San Diego as a center for new tech investments and jobs, with little promise now that this trend would change.
Could it be those areas are preferred over us because of the delay or possible elimination of the El Toro airport? This might prove to be a critical issue if or when our economy begins to decline.
LARRY ROOT
Newport Beach
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