PHOENIX -- Despite the Federal Aviation Administration's
report that the proposed Cardinals stadium would be a hazard for
air traffic, the City of Tempe said the facility would not impact
the Phoenix airport's operations.
Attorney Grant Woods, who represents Tempe in the stadium
battle, said Thursday that under current flight rules, the stadium
would not impact air traffic into Sky Harbor International Airport.
If flight routes change, as the FAA is proposing, then the $355
million stadium would become a safety concern, Woods added.
Preliminary ground work was halted last week at the site, which
is 1.8 miles from the end of Sky Harbor's north runaway.
Phoenix City Council members said Thursday another site should
be chosen, a move that Tempe and the state's Tourism and Sports
Authority have repeatedly rejected.
Amid the fight, Gov. Jane Hull urged a "cooling off period" as
the authority considers the stadium issue.
"We need answers, not oratory. I would suggest a time out and a
good look at the issue in terms of public safety," Hull said
Thursday in a statement. "My bottom line is that the safety
concerns surrounding the site must be addressed before any concrete
is set."
Hull also said Sen. Scott Bundgaard, a Phoenix Republican who
had supported a rival site for the stadium, was premature to
suggest a special session so that lawmakers can pass a law
prohibiting stadium construction without FAA approval.
"Safety and common sense must carry the day," Bundgaard said
Wednesday in a letter to Hull.
FAA officials said the stadium could create a physical
obstruction to flights, could interfere with flight instruments and
could affect a pilot's ability to react in critical situations.
Officials are also concerned that pilots might refuse to use the
flight path, reducing the airport's capacity. Sky Harbor
International Airport has 1,600 takeoffs and landings every day,
making it the fifth busiest airport in the world.
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