As a priority of the Bibb administration, NCWDC solicited feedback from the public to better understand the community's perspective on the future of Burke Lakefront Airport. NCWDC had initial meetings with Cleveland’s City Council as they deliberate on future impacts and implications of decommissioning the airport for future development. Some of the challenges include connectivity to the site, the sheer scale of development and management of 450-acre, how the proposed land uses will be financed and paid for, and the prospect of moving the popular Annual Cleveland Air Show to another location.

NCWDC released the results from the community survey to which showed a majority of Cleveland residents support the closure of Burke Lakefront Airport. In addition, the survey found the following common ideas shared in Cleveland resident responses:

Extraordinary Site Value: Burke is widely viewed as a rare, once‑in‑a‑generation lakefront asset with outsized civic importance.

Permanent Decision: Either with closure or continuation, the choice is seen as effectively permanent, heightening concern over long‑term consequences.

Execution Matters as Much as Vision: Skepticism is rooted less in ideas and more in whether plans can be realistically delivered, funded, and maintained over time.

• Executive Summary of Burke Lakefront Airport Survey (PDF)

NCWDC spearheaded a collaborative effort with civic partners to identify an initial, conceptual plan for Burke Lakefront Airport (“Burke”). The drafted conceptual plan combines three key principles:

1. Increased economic impact in the form of both increased direct tax revenue and benefits to the local economy. Either concept offers at least five times more direct economic impact to the City of Cleveland than operations of Burke currently provides and likely offers greater indirect economic output as Burke currently provides.

2. Increased ability for Clevelanders to access 450 acres of publicly owned waterfront land. The conceptual plans incorporate community facilities that can be used by Clevelanders, park and play space, and nearly 10 miles of walking trails.

3. Financial viability that minimizes construction and operational costs borne by the City. The uses proposed can be privately financed and supported by partners.

NCWDC worked directly with leaders from the Black Environmental Leaders Association, City of Cleveland, Cleveland Metroparks, Cuyahoga County, Destination Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, and Port of Cleveland to assemble a “fit study” and ESI Solutions developed an economic impact.

• Letter to the Mayor and City Council (PDF)

The City of Cleveland released two reports that were commissioned to determine the future of Burke Lakefront Airport. The key findings of these reports revealed that closing the airport would have a minimal net negative impact on the regional economy, and alternative mixed-use redevelopment scenarios could exceed current economic outputs.

• Economic and Fiscal Impact Analysis Report (PDF)
• Airport Layout Plan Narrative Report (PDF)

The City hosted a series of community visioning workshops in May 2023 to help understand everyone’s ideas for the North Coast. Participants shared their thoughts on the layout of the North Coast Connector and their vision for the North Coast Master Plan. Below, you can find the presentation from the workshops and a recording of the virtual meeting.

• Presentation (PDF)
• Workshop Recording (Watch on YouTube)