Letter to the Editor: OTC's interest in airport terminal short-sighted

It would seem to me that we are missing the mark (by potentially) leasing the old airport facility to Ozarks Technical Community College (“OTC to consider leasing airport terminal” published in Springfield Business Journal’s Aug. 23 Breaking News e-newsletter and on page 12 of this issue).

Why would this not be turned into a more commercial-use facility? I would have anticipated an effort with the Partnership Industrial Center West to have a tenant that would be able to take advantage of the airport access. Surely, there is a manufacturing or shipping company in the United States that would see a benefit of being located within an airport facility. It sounds like instead of being happy to have a unique property to offer to attract a national tenant, we are reacting like a victim and asking someone to please help us. We have an incredible piece of real estate to offer. How many people can say, “We have a great big building with phenomenal access located just west of a major highway. Oh, and did I mention it has its own private access to an airport? Did I mention that it has 1,300 parking spaces?”

—Jeff Johnson, Johnson & Bryant Investments