urbanSTL

SoulardX wrote:Any idea on the actual products that would be on these cargo jets? I can't imagine it'd be the usual low-end consumer good that china specializes in.

The goal of the commission is to help Chinese companies access the Midwest through Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and assist Midwest companies in accessing China. Officials also hope Chinese companies will set up their U.S. headquarters in the region.

Gone Corporate wrote:

STLCardsBlues1989 wrote:I pray St. Louis gets this opportunity.

"St. Louis could be a very good choice," he said. "The problem is, because people in China don't know about the Midwest, you have to convince them that St. Louis is a better choice than Chicago."

Not to be a stick in the mud, but how are we supposed to do that?

Capacity



Chicago is not as good an option for cargo, although they do run flights direct to China (Hong Kong and Beijing I can confirm, probably more). O’Hare is too busy, and Midway is too small. Meanwhile, with the loss of TWA basing its operations at Lambert, and the decreasing of total flights by American (already running hubs in O’Hare and Dallas-Forth Worth; Lambert was redundant), StL has the open space for incoming flights. The quality of runways for both Lambert and Mid America mean they can accompany large planes landing, including currently landing 747s and C-17s. Should this happen, we may even see some cargo-fitted A380s pulling in (not passenger A380s with Lambert’s current design for standard jets).



For Chinese passenger travel to the US, StL is also solid if for nothing less than increased market penetration and offerings available, probably at different price points, to spur increased purchasing by Chinese travelers. After all, if you’re Chinese and trying to visit relatives somewhere in a mid-size city in the US (not NYC or LA), now you have an option besides Chicago, and for less, where you can get that connecting domestic flight. With the excess capacities at Lambert currently, a Chinese hub could be ideal.



Plus, the total amount of developable and developing land around Lambert, especially with North Park, makes this ideal. These developments are the original inspiration for the Big Idea, after all. Ditto for Mascoutah, it is basically just farmland. While Southern IL did compete some for this independently, their efforts are mostly just, “Us too!” at this stage.



Flight mileage-efficiency is most comparable, too. With O’Hare as reference, another 35 minutes at high altitude cruising flight is nothing after 16-17 hours already flown, especially as they’re coming in over the pole on their flight plan.

SoulardX wrote:Any idea on the actual products that would be on these cargo jets? I can't imagine it'd be the usual low-end consumer good that china specializes in.

High-end manufacturing and time-sensitive goods, from agriculture and produce to pharmaceutical & related high-end sensitive products, are ideal for flight shipping. Palettes of plastic toys will still arrive by freighter into Long Beach.

Moorlander wrote:^

The goal of the commission is to help Chinese companies access the Midwest through Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and assist Midwest companies in accessing China. Officials also hope Chinese companies will set up their U.S. headquarters in the region.

this is what I'm most excited about.

Amen. If Chinese companies set up operations in StL, then we will see a flood of new business, both Chinese companies setting up shop, StL-based companies partnering with them, and non-StL domestic firms setting up operations in the area. For those fearing Union backlash, you’ll see happiness for making such a stronger metropolitan area economically, including a ton of new construction projects. Ironworkers, Carpenters, Electrical Workers, Plumbers & Pipefitters: all will have new workloads.

JMedwick wrote:Who needs historic homes if the area can be full of warehousing.

Please, no shortsightedness here. That’s what the PD blogs are for. Essentially: No, Old North StL is not going to be pimped for warehouses to China.



I say, think of all the housing that the Chinese will want to buy when they relocate. And the same for all the new domestic companies’ employees.



This may include North City, or deeper into undeveloped land in the Chuck. Or, they could want to seek familiar density like in the Chinese big cities. If so, we could have an absolute ton of new high-rise residential.



Focus: We need to look at this as no less than a fully transformative event of StL back into a major entrance to a newly discovered environment, this one being the Chinese economy, home to 1.3 billion potential consumers. That’s more than four times the size of the US population. That’s a lot of goods to ship out. That’s a lot of demand, and our domestic demand signals a lot of supply coming in, the existent need of which confirms Chinese intent of setting this up. Seriously, this could rank directly with the Louisiana Purchase Expansion and the establishment of the railroads as such a defining economic moment, and this one based on globalized capitalism between the world’s two largest economies.



I believe the Chinese want this hub, and soon. Same time, they want to make sure it’s established well the first time around. This will take time. Their patience for exactness is a very, very good thing, showing their dedication to fulfillment. That Ambassador Zhou is here on Chinese New Year speaks volumes to the seriousness of their intent. As well, another committed trip by the US delegation to Beijing just greases the wheels all the more quickly.



Now, China plans its national economic goals in multiyear blocks, with all operations based out of the National Party in Beijing. We are seeing the benefits of the last major focus: the capitalist revitalization of their Eastern coast, including the rejuvenation of Shanghai (and Pudong), Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and a dozen other cities of millions that we don’t know that well. The next major economic focus is just beginning, focused on the economic development of Central China. This includes cities such as Chengdu and Wuhan (where AB Inbev makes Budweiser). Overall, China has 30 metro areas larger than StL (Shanghai is the largest with 18.6M people). They’re not even halfway to establishing their potential impact on the global economy in the 21st Century.



This is not just a focus on Lambert being recipient to cargo from Beijing, but from all of China. These markets are ridiculously huge; the impact is so impossible to scale, other than by just saying “massive”.



My confidence in this reaching fruition is very high. Look for lots more Pai Gow tables at the casinos.

Gone Corporate wrote:

innov8ion wrote:I believe that Gone Corporate provides a good analysis, however there are no guarantees. One step at a time... The deal brokers should pay attention to our cultural differences, and work to build common relationships and understanding. One of the main differences is that they operate under "authoritarian" or "planned" capitalism.

Economical redevelopment on a national scale, as I noted, is macro and planned; however, the actions of individual businesses, so long as they are not subversive to the governing party of the PRC, are left mostly to their own accord. Business economics is not authoritarian.

Gone Corporate wrote:In fact, the concept of Individualism has strongly grown in the political psychology of the Chinese within recent years. Capitalism is the economic equivalent of Individualism in this sense, with the right to choose what one wants. Not only do the Chinese now have shopping malls & diverse goods, they can choose their careers. The simple choice of having either Coke OR Pepsi, both of which are there only within the last full generation, marks a grand change in Chinese market psychographics.



To best conceptualize this, look up Gao Xiquing, the head of the Chinese sovereign wealth funds. He's western educated (Duke), worked on Wall Street, and returned to China to help turn the country capitalist. I've met this guy years ago and can say he's truly a role model for Western economics, as well as a very affable and quite funny guy.

Gone Corporate wrote:

I understand that a senior delegation to include senators and other local executives have been meeting with the Chinese. Is the Illinois contingent negotiating separately with the Chinese or are they part of the newly-formed bureaucracy? We should not send mixed messages. Let's build a common vision and message that represents the best of the St. Louis region.

Look at the local NGOs involved, including the RCGA and the WTC-StL. They've brought the benefits of Mid America & IL into the fold of the entire package, offering more benefits. While some IL reps, I would assume, campaign for an increased role of their contingencies, it is only as part of the package and not a derailing variable in the negotiations.

innov8ion wrote:I believe that Gone Corporate provides a good analysis, however there are no guarantees. One step at a time... The deal brokers should pay attention to our cultural differences, and work to build common relationships and understanding. One of the main differences is that they operate under "authoritarian" or "planned" capitalism.



I understand that a senior delegation to include senators and other local executives have been meeting with the Chinese. Is the Illinois contingent negotiating separately with the Chinese or are they part of the newly-formed bureaucracy? We should not send mixed messages. Let's build a common vision and message that represents the best of the St. Louis region.