logo
Abandoned £1.5billion airport that wanted to be the ‘world's biggest' – with America's answer to Concorde

Abandoned £1.5billion airport that wanted to be the ‘world's biggest' – with America's answer to Concorde

The Sun08-05-2025
A NEW airport that wanted to be the world's biggest would have have welcomed Brits to a popular holiday destination - only for it to never open.
Everglades Jetport in Florida hoped to be a major six-runway airport that would welcome some of the fastest flights in the world.
6
6
6
This included the Boeing 2707, America's answer to Concorde which would have flown up to 1,800 miles an hour.
This would have been much faster than Concorde's to speed of 1,354 miles an hour.
The plan for the huge new airport was revealed in 1968, during the Golden Age of travel.
The need for the new airport was said to be because of the huge boom in travellers visiting the nearby areas, with Miami International Airport welcoming up to 10million passengers at that time.
Longer-term plans would see Everglades Jetport replace Miami Airport entirely.
It wanted to be the largest airport in the world, with plans showing it to be six times larger than the current JFK Airport.
A newspaper article said: "The future development of Marco Island received a tremendous boost recently with the start of construction of a mammoth jetport, the biggest ever, anywhere just 48 miles away."
Around 26,000 acres of land was bought - to put this into comparison, Miami International Airport is around 3,300 acres.
The airport would be linked to the coastline too with a huge new interstate motorway and monorail system.
The governor of Florida at the time, Claude R Kirk Jr, added: "With our new supersonic jetport, South Florida is going to become a major gateway to Europe and a jumping-off place for the Pacific as well."
Massive abandoned airport 3 times the size of Monaco left with rusting jumbo jets to be bulldozed and turned into new city
This was backed by Stuart Tipton, then president of Airlines for America who said: "The recent action taken by the Dade County Port Authority to construct a new jetport makes certain that South Florida will be ready to play its part in the supersonic age.
However, concerns were raved about the damage to the local environment which it claimed would "destroy the Everglades National Park".
Estimates costs of the airport were around $2billion (£1.5billion), the New York Times reports, but by 1970, construction had stopped, with just one runway built.
This was followed by the scrapping of the Boeing 2707 project in 1971.
6
6
It has since been taken over by the Miami Dade Aviation Department, and is called the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport.
The 10,000ft runway is now used by pilots for training.
Lonny Craven, who now manages the airport, said: "It was supposed to be the airport for tomorrow.'
Closer to home, Croydon Airport was once the biggest in the world.
Having opened in 1920, it closed in 1958 after London Gatwick was redeveloped, and has since been turned into a museum.
And here is another abandoned airport in the UK that has revealed plans to reopen.
6
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Disney and Universal dethroned as top theme parks by little-known rival
Disney and Universal dethroned as top theme parks by little-known rival

Daily Mail​

time9 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Disney and Universal dethroned as top theme parks by little-known rival

In a big win for a small-town Tennessee treasure, Dollywood has been crowned the best amusement park in the US for the second year in a row. TripAdvisor's annual list, based on thousands of traveler reviews, ranks Dollywood above giants like Disney's Magic Kingdom and Universal's Islands of Adventure. 'We don't provide the best guest experience in the country to try to win these awards. We do it because it is the right thing to do,' said Dollywood president Eugene Naughton. 'This award from TripAdvisor is humbling though, because it is derived from reviews left by our actual guests describing their time here at our parks and resorts.' Disney's Magic Kingdom came in second once again, with Hollywood Studios landing in fourth. But despite Disney's enormous crowds — the Orlando parks draw up to 58 million guests a year, compared to Dollywood's 3 million — it was the Smoky Mountains park that won visitors' hearts. Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania jumped from eighth to third place, followed by Universal's Islands of Adventure, Fun Spot America, and Silver Dollar City. Whale's Tale Waterpark in New Hampshire cracked the top 10, nudging out Busch Gardens. Dollywood defeated Disney and Universal theme parks for the second year in a row TripAdvisor reviewers praised Dollywood not only for its rides but for its warmth, affordability, and charm. One visitor described it as 'a place to celebrate Dolly Parton's life,' blending Southern hospitality with thrill rides and family fun. Tickets to Dollywood range from $92 to $132, with water park access available for an additional $10. Meanwhile, some Disney fans are pushing back against the rankings — and recent park changes. Gavin Doyle, founder of Disney news site called Disneyland 'the most charming and impressive theme park resort in the US,' and questioned why it didn't make the top list. 'Dollywood is a great small theme park... but Walt Disney World delivers a great vacation experience at impressive scale,' he told Daily Mail. Meanwhile, Forbes also named Dollywood the top US employer for women, based on surveys of more than 140,000 women across large companies. 'We are proud of the ways we've empowered women across our organization — from leadership development to flexible scheduling and mentorship programs,' said Dollywood vice president of human resources Susan Loveday. Disney World has faced backlash from fans who were furious over its price hikes and ride removals Disney has faced criticism for high prices and the axing of rides. One guest was furious after paying $1,394.91 for a 'bargain' day out at Disney with his family of four. Fans also criticised the park for its decision to replace Star Wars: Launch Bay with a new experience called The Magic of Disney Animation at Hollywood Studios. Fans have also been grieving the loss of the Muppet Vision 3D show and the removal of Tom Sawyer Island in Frontierland. It is to make room for a highly anticipated Cars land, but it has made guests believe Disney is 'tearing apart' Magic Kingdom. Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania jumped from eighth to third place, followed by Universal's Islands of Adventure, Fun Spot America, and Silver Dollar City. Whale's Tale Waterpark in New Hampshire cracked the top 10, nudging out Busch Gardens.

Outrage as idiotic Yellowstone tourist trespasses onto iconic colorful ecosystem near hot spring
Outrage as idiotic Yellowstone tourist trespasses onto iconic colorful ecosystem near hot spring

Daily Mail​

time39 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Outrage as idiotic Yellowstone tourist trespasses onto iconic colorful ecosystem near hot spring

A tourist has sparked outrage after wandering off a trail at Yellowstone National Park and trampling over a hot spring's delicate eco system. The visitor ventured off designated boardwalks to retrieve baseball caps blown onto the iconic bacterial mats near the Grand Prismatic Spring. Yellowstone's bacterial mats are delicate ecosystems composed of thermophiles, or heat-loving microscopic organisms. They flourish in the Montana park's thermal basins, creating Yellowstone's famously colorful landscapes. Disturbing these mats, whether intentionally or accidentally, is classified as thermal trespassing. Images of the the tourist's reckless behavior on Monday quickly circulated on social media, where it was widely slammed. It comes after a 17-year-old tourist was left with scalding burns after his foot went broke through the crust near a geyser at the park. 'Darwinism at its best,' one user said of the thermal mat trespasser. 'They need to start hitting these stupid people where it hurts the most…their wallets. Minimum $5k fine and ban from all National Parks,' said another. 'Maybe they need to give a standard IQ test before you are allowed entry into the park,' one person said. 'Ban him from all National Parks for life. He can't read or follow directions and obviously has no regard for the importance and fragility of the area,' said yet another. Discarded items such as hats, water bottles, and other personal belongings occasionally end up on these sensitive ecosystems due to wind gusts or carelessness. Jeff Henry, a lifelong Yellowstone employee, emphasized that while the bacterial mats have a degree of resilience, repeated foot traffic could cause significant harm. 'The impact of a large number of people stepping on the bacterial mats is obviously something that can't be tolerated,' he told Cowboy State Daily. Yellowstone authorities urge visitors to respect and adhere to protective guidelines, emphasizing that the continued beauty and health of these natural wonders depend on responsible visitor behavior. This latest case comes just days after a 17-year-old tourist suffered 'significant thermal burns' near Yellowstone National Park's Lone Star Geyser. According to park officials, the teen was hiking Monday morning in the Lone Star Geyser Basin, about three miles southeast of Old Faithful, when his foot broke through the thin crust surrounding a thermal area. His foot plunged into scalding water, which can reach temperatures between 160 and 200 degrees, causing severe burns to his foot and ankle. And celebrities aren't exempt from the public scrutiny. Last year, James Bond star Pierce Brosnan pleaded guilty to illegally hiking into a protected thermal area at Yellowstone National Park and agreed to pay a $1,500 fine. The actor initially pleaded not guilty after he was cited for venturing off-trail near the park's Mammoth Terraces in November 2023. According to court documents filed last March, Brosnan admitted to one of two charges for straying into the restricted hot spring zone to get a closer look at the thermals.

REVEALED: What you should NEVER touch in an airport... and the vile consequences if you dare to
REVEALED: What you should NEVER touch in an airport... and the vile consequences if you dare to

Daily Mail​

time39 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

REVEALED: What you should NEVER touch in an airport... and the vile consequences if you dare to

Summer travel is in full swing, and airports across America are busier than ever with nearly 3 million passengers flying every day. Travel, especially in crowded environments like airports and airplanes, increases the potential for exposure to viruses, particularly those that spread through respiratory droplets and contact with contaminated surfaces. Your browser does not support iframes.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store