The news is spreading - The Panama City - Bay County Florida area has passed another hurdle to gaining a new airport, FAA approval. There are still hurtles to overcome, but the major obstacles have been cleared and the runway so to speak is cleared for take off.

The Panama City, Florida area has historically been seen as a tourist and military installation area. The typical industry within the area has focused primarily on the tourist trade, from small family owned service oriented businesses to the Corporate Condominium builders and everything in between.

It is my opinion however, that the current state of the economy is in need of a shift. We can no longer afford to be a small town community relying solely on the tourist trade and military supporting industries for prosperity. It is time we grow, and it is time we seek out and entice investors and businesses to help our community realize its full potential.

I call on our elected officials, city councils and politicians and The Bay County Economic Development Alliance to help, aid and direct us in our search for growth by offering incentives to entice major business entities into our area. Whether the incentives be land grants or tax incentives, it is time to stop thinking about 'remaining a small town' and begin to think about the future and becoming a major business oriented market place and metropolitan area.

With the new airport should come a focus on big business with which comes new jobs, higher pay and improved social and economic development. Not only with increased taxes but also with increased family income the higher paying jobs bring with them as well as the residual income family's will have to spend within the community.

When corporate and big businesses such as manufacturing, distribution centers, high tech firms and corporate headquarters arrive, they bring with them higher paying jobs which directly influence the local community and its economy. Higher paying jobs means more money to spend on incidentals which trickle into the local economy, more money means affordable housing and so on. It's a win win situation for everyone.

As I see it, local family owned businesses will prosper (if they provide the necessary customer services), our infrastructure will be able to grow and support the business growth with revenue from taxes, our college graduates will begin to look for a future right here in our community as opposed to moving to other areas where high paying employment exists. Our schools and education system will be able to prosper as more funds become available to support them.

The writing is on the wall and it's time for us as a community to embrace the change as well as the growth potential. It's time to focus on our social and economic future and welcome this growth with open arms. We can no longer afford to be just a small town tourist oriented community.

As a Commercial and investment Real Estate professional, it is my duty and responsibility to help the community by soliciting big business and corporations to show them the value of bringing their entities to our area. I would ask the city council and The Bay County Economic Development Alliance to help and guide us by providing the incentives needed to bring major corporations and big business to our area.

We have a great community in Bay County Florida with friendly people ready and willing to work. We are still known for "The worlds most Beautiful beaches". We have higher education centers that are producing graduates that can help make our area grow and prosper. We need to offer these graduates jobs they can not only be proud of but also have a hand in the growth and the ability to realize their visions of the future for themselves and their families.