John S. McCain Terminal approved for Sky Harbor
The Phoenix City Council unanimously voted to name Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s Terminal 3 after the 30-year member of the U.S. Senate at a special meeting Wednesday. The name change takes effect immediately but signage for the John S. McCain III Terminal 3, which will cost $50,000-$60,000, isn’t expected for 8-10 weeks.
When U.S. Sen. John McCain flies back to Washington, as he’s announced he intends to do in January, he may pass through an airport terminal that bears his own name.
The Phoenix City Council unanimously voted to name Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s Terminal 3 after the 30-year member of the U.S. Senate at a special meeting Wednesday.
The name change takes effect immediately but signage for the John S. McCain III Terminal 3, which will cost $50,000-$60,000, isn’t expected for 810 weeks, according to city staff.
McCain said on Twitter and in a statement he was “deeply humbled” by the honor.
“I have rarely felt at once so honored and yet so unworthy of an honor as I do today,” McCain said. “The great honor of my life has been to serve the people of Arizona in the United States Congress and I will strive every day to prove worthy of that honor.”
His wife, Cindy McCain, also thanked
the mayor and council via Twitter.
McCain in July was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive and deadly form of brain cancer, after doctors removed a blood clot during a procedure at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix.
Stanton said the entire council and all of Arizona is “praying hard” for McCain, who was hospitalized last week for “normal side effects of his ongoing cancer therapy.” He returned home for Christmas, missing the vote on the tax bill.
Prior to casting their votes Wednesday, several Phoenix council members shared their interactions with McCain over the years. Two councilmen — Sal DiCiccio and Jim Waring — previously worked for the senator.
“Whether you agreed with him or not — he fights,” Waring said. “That matters. Fighting for things that you believe in. That’s what I would hope that people would take away when people see the signs in a couple of months.”
Councilwoman Debra Stark said McCain was one of the first people to call and congratulate her after she won her council race.
“When I think about Senator McCain, he really reflects Arizona. An independent thinker, rugged, a love for country — he’s just a great man. But what he really does is represent this state, this city and I’m proud to support this,” Stark said.
During a previous council meeting, several members of the public criticized Phoenix for considering the name change and shared their disdain for McCain and his political decisions.
Councilman Daniel Valenzuela said the decision was not a recognition of McCain’s politics, but of his leadership.
“He fought for our country. He fought for our state,” Valenzuela said. “It’s not enough of a thank you, but I think it’s a thank you nonetheless.”
The council discussion was not all praise, however. Councilman Michael Nowakowski and Vice Mayor Laura Pastor — both of whom eventually voted for the change — questioned the renaming process and why only McCain’s name was considered.
Nowakowski said the process should have been more transparent to allow for the public to weigh in on such a big decision.
Pastor echoed Nowakowski’s concerns and suggested that Stanton, who is running for Congress, pushed through the name change for political points.
Both council members said McCain was worthy of the honor, but also listed off several other Arizonans who deserve recognition, including Lori Piestewa (the first woman in the U.S. military killed in Iraq), Raúl Castro (the only Hispanic governor of Arizona) or Ed Pastor (a former Democratic Congressman and the vice mayor’s father).