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It is appropriate that you quoted the former mayor of Denver in noting his leadership in creating a new airport for Denver. He avoided the “Not in my backyard!” concerns that would have been triggered by an enlargement of Stapleton International Airport (in a populated Denver suburb). He did so by brokering the massive purchase of undeveloped land straddling Denver and Adams counties.
The actual footprint of the new Denver International Airport operations is something that could be accommodated in the coastal area of Camp Pendleton with a minimal impact on base training operations. Placing some operations underground and others in multi-story buildings could make it even more compact. Businesses in communities outside the base (e.g. Oceanside and San Clemente) would experience an economic Renaissance much as the areas outside Denver International Airport have experienced. Mayor Federico Peña had the vision to think beyond an airport in a densely populated civilian community. He would not have seen Miramar as a viable alternative.