Adding ‘Seattle’ to Paine Field denies pride in our county

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, July 25, 2023

I’ll admit, I am not a branding expert. But in my defense, neither are all the politicians so excited for this stupid new name for Paine Field (“Everett’s Paine Field is now Seattle Paine Field International Airport,” The Herald, July 18). Why are we so obsessed with trying to cleave ourselves onto Seattle at the expense of creating and strengthening our own identity? I didn’t move to Everett so that I could live in the “Seattle North Country” (another stupid name by people obsessed with Seattle).

You know what happens when you go onto an airline website and type in Seattle? It shows you all the available airports in the area, including Paine Field. People aren’t going to be confused over if Paine Field services the Seattle metropolitan area because airlines and travel sites will tell them. Same as every other metropolitan area with multiple airports. If we had the same genius minds naming other airports we’d probably have San Francisco Oakland Airport or Los Angeles Burbank Airport. If they want to put a city in front it should be Everett Paine Field International Airport.

I am begging our government leaders to be proud of being Snohomish County. To be proud of being Everett. Trying to constantly piggy back onto Seattle doesn’t show pride, it shows we’re insecure.

I, for one, will forever hate the name “Seattle” Paine Field International Airport.

Derek Held

Everett