From an RV list:

I saw an interesting story this morning on the local news.
Apparently EAA is planning a 10 year project to expand the
Airventure grounds and build 2 new exhibit buildings. The current
plan looks to link the existing 4 buildings into two pairs buy
building a new two story building between them and updating the
existing buildings with the usual convention center amenities like
bathrooms. The city of OSH is talking about abandoning their
existing convention center downtown and teaming up with EAA to turn
Airventure grounds into a new OSH convention center.

I bring this up because a lot of people feel that EAA has become too
commercial and has forgotten their constituency. I know this is the
first I have heard of this and a quick search on Google turns up
nothing except a couple of the local news stories. I would think
that EAA would want to share such large initiatives with the members
before going full speed ahead.

Bob Fry wrote:

This was also mentioned in the latest issue of EAA's Sport Pilot magazine.
For those not familiar with OSH except during EAA events, the grounds are
used through-out the year for several other major events including Ducks
Unlimited Outdoor Expo, a large Farm Equipment and Energy Expo, and
occasionally large music events.
Jim

I understand and am sympathetic to concerns about how member dues are
spent, and I agree that the potential for direct advocacy of
experimental aviation is quite low. But I have to say that finding
ways to use the grounds for off-season events and non-aviation events
is likely a very useful thing.

1. EAA gets to charge for the use of the grounds and facilities,
which means that they are getting a return on an investment. The
downstream potential is good--diversified income streams can help
alleviate pressure on core business. In other words, they might not
need to completely depend on member dues and gate fees for income. I
am reminded of PBS owning a line of for-profit catalog businesses. It
has made them very good money they use to defray costs in their
"normal" operations.

2. As a previous poster mentioned, any time the ties between the
aviation community and non-aviation communities can be brought closer,
I think that is not only good, it is crucial. If the city of Oshkosh,
Ducks Unlimited, the FEEE guys, and whomever else can be made
tangential partners in the health of EAA I see that as helpful. We
need goodwill ambassadors out there.

3. I completely agree that OSH has gotten very corporate and has
undeniably drifted far afield from its original intended purpose. OSH
used to be a big fly-in and now it's a trade show. It hurts to...

What's a scooter pass?
Lou

On Wed, 28 May 2008 09:44:36 -0500, Gig 601Xl Builder wrote:

huh?

Gezellig wrote:

Airventure is held at this magical place we call an airport. An airport
is where the lift fairies live. If the city that is adjacent to the
airport likes and invests time, money and political support to the
airport it makes the lift faries happy.

On Wed, 28 May 2008 16:11:51 -0500, Gig 601Xl Builder wrote:

Hobkie on all that.

"Any time the city gets involved with the airport in a positive way it
is usually a good thing" Huh?

How about "Usually when the city gets involved with the airport in a
positive way it is always a good thing"

Gezellig wrote:

"Jim Burns" nospamuniontel.net> wrote in message news:aPydnTf7SIoG6qDVnZ2dnUVZ_sDinZ2d@posted.visi...

And I seem to remember comments about fixing up and changing things around last year or the year before, but no specific
plans were made...