urbanSTL

My hope would be that the office space is sold to Sigma Aldrich for expansion, and historic arsenal properties are acquired by the state and maintained as a State Historic Site.

It would be questionable/suspicious for them to reverse the "favored" site in Missouri only to put it over at SAFB. They've already explained why, which are valid reasons, they chose North St. Louis.

One of the biggest factors - as I suggested a few pages back and before the decision was made - was that pollution would elevate because 2100 workers would be commuting to Illinois (an average of 30 additional miles) from Missouri. The Illinois delegation should be ashamed of itself for dragging this out. They don't seem to give a damn about the pollution element. If East St. Louis had been considered, that's one thing, but THIRTY EXTRA MILES for 2100 workers?!? No. Let's not even mention the bedrock advantage.

For the record, the Belleville News-Democrat newspaper also believed SAFB had the advantage all along. It seems to me this is a case of the newspaper stirring the pot, trying to get more circulation, Internet hits and more "brownie points" with politicians and citizens over there.

If I were with the City of St. Louis for this process, I would be watching every property owner whose unwilling to sell very, very closely. They could be getting paid handsomely under the table by nefarious characters who want to disrupt and prolong eminent domain procedures in St. Louis City, which would then benefit Illinois and SAFB.

Selling papers. That is all. Time to move on for the Metro East.

arch city wrote: ... If East St. Louis had been considered, that's one thing ...

Now there's a thought. Imagine NGA lunch meetings at this fine establishment...

At this point, I think Illinois and the St. Clair County Econ Development Corp need to be careful not to completely alienate the Department of Defense, NGA, and the Federal Government. If they keep pushing back and trying to stall the project, I think the NGA would just pick a different location area all together rather than go to IL.

You can only push back so much before burning all the bridges. This, to me at least, feels like they're trying a scorched earth approach which may not benefit them either.

The Illinois delegation/representatives are pathetic.

Missouri's delegation/representatives had better strap up their combat boots because the Illinois delegation is showing their asses and pettiness. Missouri had better get in the mud and wallow around with these guys because they are literally being cutthroat "d*cks" (as in Durbin).

While the ACE should have gotten some details of their analysis correct (ie. St. Clair County, Illinois vs. St. Clair County, Michigan vs. St. Clair County, Missouri and the whole Osage River debacle) what these a**holes are missing is the fact that 2100 workers live in Missouri. To hell with pollution and longer commutes times and the drain longer commutes could have on productivity.

To me.......that is enough.

Ultimately, this will not bold well for regional relations - at all. At a time the region is trying to build more cooperation (ie. The Regional Freightway) this back-and-forth over the NGA could implode the region, which is already struggling to compete economically with the nation's other regions.

I'm all for regional cooperation, but the Missouri delegation better threaten to block legislation or projects that are important to the Metro East and Illinois. Missouri needs to buck up. The ***** up economy in Illinois is not St. Louis' or Missouri's fault. And while both sides of the Mississippi need one another, the Metro East needs Missouri more than Missouri needs the Metro East.

Further, Missouri senators have consistently supported keeping SAFB open over the years; so while I understand Illinois' skittishness about SAFB closings, SAFB isn't going anywhere. There's been too many investments and population growth there in recent years.

Welcome to Illinois politics.

This is embarrassing. Then again, we really have no dignity left as a state, so...

Just flew out of San Jose, California to Portland, OR PDX and noticed STL was on the board twice - on an AA flight (thru DFW) and a Southwest flight (thru Phoenix). Interesting that the boards were listing STL as a destination from SJC - since other flights that were continuation city flights (and not nonstop) were not listed.

Then got through security and saw a huge billboard for STL that read "Gateway to St. Louis through Silicon Valley" - by the CVB here in STL. NOW, I read that the NGA is moving through that area too - connecting STL to Silicon Valley. So... that being said, watch for SJC on airlines short list to add STL - SJC non stops. Looks as maybe AA and Southwest will jump?!

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2016/05/17/ ... on-valley/