New Mexico to Build a Spaceport for Space Tourism

Southern New Mexico is a great choice for this facility. Unlike Florida, there are very few hail storms (or hurricanes) that could damage a future space shuttle or other type of space vehicle.

Is it all that surprising that Richard Branson does what Congress won't? As long as states like California, Texas, and Florida have more votes, New Mexico won't see big NASA dollars for new facilities. Yes, White Sands Missile Range is a backup site for space shuttle landings, but that facility has an altogether different mission.

Private business startup paid for by public money? The Virgin Guru couldn't pay for it himself? I can't believe the tax payers went for that. I hope the tax payers get a BIG discount for a ride in space!

"The Virgin Guru couldn't pay for it himself?"

It would appear he doesn't need to! Just because someone could do something, it doesn't mean that (s)he should, surely?

Yes, indeed. This is not unlike how baseball stadiums are built in the U.S.

Wealthy owners demand public financing for construction, and threaten to move the team if they don't get their way.

They have a point. A major facility, like an air- or space-port or sports stadium, tends to attract and generate numerous smaller satellite businesses in a cluster around it, the satellites also contributing to the local community's well-being through various taxation mechanisms. A good example is the classical façade of Kings Cross main line railway station in London, which was rather despoiled by the accretion of a hotch-potch of small buildings containing numerous thriving small businesses for many years until relatively recently. Some might argue that recent developments have done little to present the original architecture in a meritable setting. BTW: Sir Richard's trains go there as well...

There needs to be an element of mutual back-scratching between the community and the developer for a major scheme to exist and to take off (no pun intended) not least to improve confidence in the correctness of the investment, though that's arguably the stuff of politics, not engineering.