A new name for Green Airport?

by John Howell
Posted 1/4/18

By JOHN HOWELL -- Before T.F. Green Airport, it was Hillsgrove and now the Rhode Island Airport Corporation is considering changing the name to Rhode Island International Airport.

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A new name for Green Airport?

Posted

Before T.F. Green Airport, it was Hillsgrove and now the Rhode Island Airport Corporation is considering changing the name to Rhode Island International Airport.

That was one of two possible names. The other was Providence International Airport. That name didn't fly with Warwick officials. If anything, those Warwick people interviewed for this story think the FAA designation for the airport should be changed from PVD to WRK, or at least to PVD/WRK.

A possible change in the name flew under the radar until questions arose over whether there might be a backlash to dropping the name Theodore Francis Green and the suggestion that Providence International was an option.

The Providence suggestion rankled Warwick officials and, judging that two of them hold leadership positions in the State House and Senate, not to mention that Scott Avedisian is mayor of the host city of the airport, it didn't get off the ground.

"I am fine with changing the name to Rhode Island International Airport. I have always wanted it to be called Warwick Airport but understand the confusion that the airport faces when people are looking to fly into Rhode Island,” said Avedisian. “The proposed name change will allow to market differently and removes the confusion of the ‘Providence’ airport being located in Warwick.”

Green, for who the airport is now named, had a long political career that started in the State House of Representatives in 1907. He ran unsuccessfully for governor in 1912 and then for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1918. He persisted and ran for governor unsuccessfully again in 1928 and 1930. Finally, in 1936 he was elected governor and served two terms before running for U.S. Senate at the age of 69 and winning. He served in the post until 1961 when, at the age of 92, he retired.

The possibility of a name change was news to Lauren Slocum, president and CEO of the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce. She wasted no time in getting a read from chamber members and in an informal poll found a favorable response to Rhode Island International.

"It highlights the state," she said of the name. "It doesn't isolate one place from another." She said there were questions over the cost of "rebranding" the name from changes that would have to be made to signage to brochures and promotional and informational material. And even with a name change, Slocum thought some people, no matter what, would continue to call it Green. She thinks there could still be an appropriate way of honoring Senator Green that "blends honor and history with growth and development."

Rhode Island International, she said, "raises the visibility of the state as a whole and what it has to offer."

Rep. K. Joseph Shekarchi, who would likely introduce legislation to change the airport name, said, "I think we need to look at it, yes. And if the Airport Corporation requests it, I will introduce it because I think we need to look at the airport as an economic engine for the state. The benefits around Warwick that you're seeing – the Hyatt Hotel going up, other people interested in putting hotels here – I have a lot of respect for Senator Green and everything he's done, but I think the airport needs to reflect what it is today."

Still, a name change is not a done deal.

"We have discussed the name change in our offices. It is still premature at this time,” RIAC president and CEO Iftikhar Ahmad responded in an email to an inquiry.

Comments

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  • richardcorrente

    Mayor Avedisian gave away the tax revenue of over 100 homes to allow for the expansion of the airport. All that Warwick taxpayers received was air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution and soil pollution. That made taxes go up on everyone else and the promised renovations that the RIAC offered to affected homeowners such as insulation and noise-reducing windows, came to a halt when the RIAC conveniently "ran out of money".

    I don't know what he was promised, maybe a job, but it is an issue I am committed to correct. As Mayor, I will meet with the RIAC and renegotiate that one-sided agreement. I will right this wrong, and I won't quit until I do.

    Until then, the Airport Authority should be very grateful for the "gift" they received from Scott Avedisian. Maybe they should name it after him.

    For now.

    Happy 2018 everyone.

    Rick Corrente

    The Taxpayers mayor

    Thursday, January 4, 2018 Report this

  • patientman

    FAA designations RII and WRK are both available.

    Thursday, January 4, 2018 Report this

  • CrickeeRaven

    The fake "mayor" has nothing but delusional conspiracy theories and unrealistic promises to add to this issue. He completely ignores the role of the state and the FAA in approving the airport expansion, again proving his poor grasp of basic facts.

    He will certainly continue to humiliate himself with his future comments, leading to another decisive loss in this year's election.

    Thursday, January 4, 2018 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    once we gets a new contract negotiated and our moneys returned to us hard werking taxpayers, the only name is the mayer corrente international airport and cocktail bar

    Friday, January 5, 2018 Report this

  • richardcorrente

    Dear Justanidiot,

    As always, your ideas make me smile. However, I think a better name would be "The Rhode Island Airport".

    Take good care old friend.

    Rick Corrente

    Friday, January 5, 2018 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    I'm so happy that fake mayor Corrente points out that our mayor "gave away" the schools, roads, and services costs of over 100 houses in favor of such an economic engine as a growing airport! Money saved, money gained! I bet this fake mayor will now be voting for Avedisian after all!

    Happy New Year Everybody!

    Friday, January 5, 2018 Report this

  • TheSkipper

    So like everything else in Rhode Island We're going to take one step forward and two steps back.

    I'm surprised nobody thought of the name "Green International Airport"? History be damned in Rhode Island.

    If the building Is named Bruce Sundlun Terminal we should change that too?

    In the spirit of truth in advertising shouldn't we really name it "The Raymond Patriarca International Airport" considering all the crooked business that went on in the construction and latest expansion? How about "Joe Mollicone International Airport"? owing to his responsibility for screwing half the people and most of the credit unions in the state. Also remembering the people of Warwick who got screwed out of their homes in the approach zone on Main Ave. and the property taxes the rest of us have to absorb in their wake?

    I know! "The Calamari International Airport"! Old Calamari Joe McNamara and Squidly Sue Sosnowski came up with this gem. When Rhode Island was suffering from record unemployment and homelessness. This was the best and most pressing idea on the agenda these two could come up with? Well, at least we now have a "State Appetizer"! Thank God because a state can't exist without one..... Remember to keep voting for them every election to get these forward thinking Ideas in State Government.......But of course then again? We still don't have a state animal. (No, the Quahog doesn't count.) Considering the tax percentage on the citizens in this state? I'd suggest the Vampire Bat.

    Oh I just thought of it!!! The Vincent A. Cianci International Airport!

    Star of Stage, screen, and federal prison! Internationally known as "The Prince of Providence" Creator of his own marinara Sauce!!! Absolutely PERFECT!!! although, they may want to reserve his name for when they dedicate The Johnston Landfill.... especially since many of his opponents may be buried there.

    I mean nobody knows where "Providence" is anyway and you don't even land there. "Warwick" isn't any better because international travelers will probably think they're in England.

    Well I guess "Rhode Island International Airport" isn't that bad after all. As I suppose it could be a lot worse.

    Saturday, January 6, 2018 Report this

  • Thecaptain

    So now the top priority is to rename an airport that has been in existence for decades. Most people don't even have a clue as to why the identifier is PVD. It assumed the identifier PVD, as the airport is approximately 7 miles displaced from the capital city. (FAA test question by the way) In fact, the identifier of the airport is actually KPVD. The ID, PVD is the identifier for the VOR. For those of you non pilots, that means - Very high frequency Omni directional Range. It is an instrument that is used for navigation based upon 360 radials. Not all VOR'S are located on the field of the airport. The PVD VOR is located on the field. It is that thing that looks like an old fashion milk bottle. The proposal in this article of PVD/WRK is completely laughable, unrealistic, and is not within the airport designation terminology for a number of reason. First and foremost, there are no forward slash icons on any GPS navigation system. So that identifier could not be programmed into a GPS currently being used. Not withstanding the cost to the aviation community if the identifier is changed. Approach plates will all need to be revised, all GPS units will need to be updated, (although they are regularly updated) numerous pilot resources will need to be updated as well. All because a couple of state reps want to have a photo op changing a name. Get a freakin life already !

    If we really want to be creative to have an identifier that is indicative of the actual community, lets contact the FAA and see if the entire aviation language can be restructured so that we can call the identify of the airport as BNKRUPT. The terminology fits the location and also is indicative of the fake mayors financial status.

    Flights have improved a bit in the last year, however they remain way off since the 2008 /09 expansion. Flights were down 32 % as of 2 years ago. What are the numbers today as compared to 2008? Still not good.

    The fact of the matter is that there are so many more important issues to resolve in this crap hole of a state than the name and identifier of the airport. For example, I think that maybe we can use UHIP to actually identify the current political structure of the state. Unbelievable Hypocritical Idiot Politicians. Or how about LOEL for Last On Every List ?

    Rep. Sheckarchi, its not just about photo ops or a trophy of you patting yourself on the back. Educate yourself about aviation before speaking. There is an old saying, (the fake mayor should take note) - If you keep your mouth shut, one can only assume you are a moron. The minute you open it, you eliminate all doubt.

    Sunday, January 7, 2018 Report this

  • wwkvoter

    Skipper nailed it!!!!!!!!!!

    Vincent A Cianci International!

    Kinda like LaGuardia (google Fiorello LaGuardia) who cleaned up NYC corruption. OUR version of that is to use "corruption" to make the city economics work better. Perfect analog, almost.

    Sunday, January 7, 2018 Report this

  • HerbTokerman

    Yeah Rick.. the airport expansion has given us nothing but cheap direct flights to Europe without the hassles and stress of needing to fly out of Logan.

    And travelers from Europe opting to fly in to Rhode Island instead of Boston (and probably support local Taxi/Lyft/Uber drivers, hotels and restaurants in the process)

    Plus future direct flights to the west coast and other destinations now that larger aircraft can land and take off.

    Now RI just needs to convince Amtrak to have the Northeast Regional and Acela stop at the interlink. By the time it takes to drive from JFK to Manhattan in a Taxi at some times in the day you could take the Acela. .

    Wednesday, January 10, 2018 Report this