"Officials suggests adding 'The OC' to John Wayne Airport name"

Wednesday, June 9, 2004

Officials suggests adding 'The OC' to John Wayne Airport name 
The Associated Press


SANTA ANA, Calif. - An Orange County supervisor has proposed adding "The
O.C." to the name of John Wayne Airport, hoping to capitalize on the
popularity of the prime-time soap opera and clarifying the airport's
identity.

Supervisor Chris Norby suggested the name-change at a board meeting
Tuesday, but a staff member appeared to retreat from the idea the next
day.

Norby has not made a formal proposal to the Board of Supervisors and
doesn't plan to do so any time soon, executive aide Erica Rios said
Wednesday.

"It's an idea. That's about it," she said. "It's not something he's
going to be pushing any time soon."

The supervisor wanted to add "The O.C." to the airport's name before
last year's debut of the steamy prime-time soap on the Fox Network, Rios
said.

"I think we need to capitalize on the newfound fame," Norby said. "O.C.
is hot throughout the country. It's something they borrowed from us to
make it popular."

Norby suggested calling the airport in Santa Ana "The O.C. Airport -
John Wayne Field" and installing freeway signs at county lines
proclaiming "Welcome to the O.C." He has consulted an ad agency about
the idea, though his aide insisted the discussions were informal.

"Even if the TV show fades, the moniker 'O.C.' will be there forever,"
Norby said.

The county adopted the name John Wayne Airport after the actor's death
in 1979. A large statue of the Duke greets travelers at the airport,
which served 8.5 million people last year.

The television program, which goes into its second season later this
year, is a drama about wealthy teens in the affluent coastal suburbs
south of Los Angeles.


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