Cover Story

With 2008 – The Chinese calendar’s Year of the Rat – rolling in, we asked some of the Mobile Area’s movers and shakers to gaze into their crystal balls and come up with some trends, events or just plain insanity they believe will come to pass this year.

Bill Sisson, vice president for economic development, Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce

1. I predict we will see in 2008 the advancement of large-scale housing developments in north Mobile County.

2. The Census Bureau information will come in showing the continued growth in Mobile County.

3. We’ll continue to see wage growth in Mobile.

4. A German “Saturday School” will be formed, which is a supplemental school for German students.

5. A positive announcement about the Northrop-Grumman/EADS KC-30 contract.

Chris Barraza, assistant manager Mobile Neighborhood & Community Services

1. The past and the future will collide when Mobile FINALLY markets its immense history, `a la Philadelphia, St. Augustine, and we see people in period costume buzzing up and down the streets of downtown leading historic Segway tours to the masses.

2. Reggie Copeland’s predictions that “Mobile will become the football capital of the South” comes to fruition as the NFL follows the Senior Bowl, GMAC, and the new AAFL to Mobile, drops a “huge-antic” stadium across the street from the Dale Earnhardt racetrack and then chooses Mobile as the host of the Super Bowl in 2000-something…

3. Arising from the dust of the Space 301 renovations, our Cathedral Square Arts District will take on radiant new life marked by fantastic openings, an increase of on-street galleries and a consistent night-time presence that rivals any raucous Saturday night on Dauphin Street.

4. Fred’s Richardson’s vision of a moonpie in the sky comes to life as we countdown to 2009 by the light of a huge man-made moonpie that explodes at midnight and rains baby moonpies onto the citizens of Mobile. Then the first Mardi Gras parade would directly follow, ushering in the earliest season to date.

5. The great debate over the I-10 bridge is over when Austal produces the first solar-powered commuter ferry and totes people to and fro with their bicycles, man-purses, and granola-filled fanny packs across Mobile Bay; cutting down both traffic and emission problems by 85 percent.

David Rasp, owner of Heroes and The Royal Scam

1. The city council agrees to extend Mardi Gras to a 24-week celebration which will now take place in the last two weeks of each month. This addresses revenue concerns and the nutritional needs of the homeless population since banana moon pies will now be classified under the “fruits/vegetables” food group.

2. Obvious confusion between “S-T-E-E-L” and “S-T-E-A-L” results in an all-time low in unemployment claims as former members of the Bishop State student aid department rush to get jobs at the new ThyssenKrupp plant.

3. High rise condos in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores are converted to government-subsidized housing for people who can no longer afford to live in Midtown.

4. Census information reveals a sharp drop in citizens over 50 years of age, which is attributed to Carnival’s short lived “Cruisin’ with the In-Laws” promotion.

5. The Peanut Man surfaces on a beach in Latin America in a scene reminiscent of the “Girls Gone Wild” video series. IRS agents fail in their efforts to have him extradited and charged with operating a business without a license, failure to pay sales taxes for 67 years and no less than 117,534 cases of jaywalking.

John Williams, City Council member, District 4

1. Fred Richardson will get his moonpie wishes granted.

2. Ashley Toland chases true love out of town.

3. A virtually unknown will win a seat on the County Commission.

4. Neither Party’s “front runner” will win the presidency.

5. The price of gas will hit four dollars.

Randy Schwoerer, Saenger Theatre General Manager

1. I put together a band with a musician from every tv/radio station and newspaper in Mobile, it releases a CD and has international success. Old Dudes Rockin’

2. Spinal Tap is found rooming below the Saenger Theatre.

3. Indy Cars go from racing at the Indianapolis 500 to the streets of Mobile with speeds of 200 miles per hour.

4. I tell too many people in the north how great Mobile is and they all move here.

5. All slow traffic moves to the right lane and lets me pass on the left

Stephen Nodine, District 2 Mobile County *Commissioner *

1. Semmes will incorporate this year.

2. The best economic upturn in the city’s history will begin.

3. The school board will finally make good on its promise of having a Vo Tech School at Shaw High School.

4. The Highway 98 Project will make enough progress to be completed by 2010.

5. The next president will be a Republican president.

Tom Mason, owner of Tom Mason Communications

1. Mobile’s unparalleled economic growth spurs a counterrevolution in 2008. The boomtown economy makes Mobilians nostalgic for the slower pace of life they left behind. Even in West Mobile and in the Village of Spring Hill, people start sitting on their porches, walking places despite the lack of sidewalks, talking to neighbors and building community.

2. In a reverse move, people downtown stop walking places when everyone inside the Business Improvement District (BID) gets a Segway Personal Transporter.

3. Global warming creates an endless growing season and the downtown farmers’ market stays open year-round.

4. In a similar development, Mardi Gras is expanded to six weeks of parades.

5. Mobile is named America’s most livable city when the long-awaited art house cinema downtown opens to rave reviews complete with a remake of King Kong filmed atop the RSA Battle House Tower.

Fred Richardson, Mobile City Council Member, District 1

My predictions for 2008:

1. I predict that we will have a preemptive moon pie drop downtown Mobile on December 31, 2008.

2. I predict that funding will be identified that will start the process of closing the 44 open ditches running in front of homes in the Trinity GardensCommunity.

3. I predict that we will see additional communities annexed into the City of Mobile by their own volition.

4. I predict that Mobile will reclaim its status as the second largest city in Alabama.

5. I predict that district 1 will continue to be one of the safest districts in the city.

6. I predict that Mayor Jones and the council will lead Mobile to yet another level unattained in previous years and beyond any other city in the state of Alabama.

7. I predict that major retail stores will locate in our city because of the enhanced economic activity we are seeing.

8. I predict that our city will continue to be the safest city in our region because of our dedicated officers, leaders and indeed an involved citizentry.

9. Finally, I predict that we will get either a larger cruise ship or a second ship.

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