Timing is everything, EYW had just finished a Runway Safety Area Improvement project that got rid of a salt pond and an embankment that were about 100 feet from the threshold. Would have been a different outcome without having a decent RSA! Going the other direction they also installed an EMAS to alleviate the lack of a standard RSA.

In the Key West political scene, getting that project for the airport was akin to moving the capital to EYW!

But in general, Remember that you might be on an airplane that can benefit from the extra open space when the airport near you goes looking for an RSA improvement or runway extension project.