Durbin, Emanuel Announce A $10.2 Million Investment In Chicago Midway Airport

Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans said: “Our proposal will make Midway Airport more efficient and more customer friendly for years to come.

The city of Chicago plans almost $250 million in improvements at Midway worldwide Airport.

“Midway worldwide Airport is a critical economic engine for Chicago and the region”.

Plans for enhancements embrace expanded concession amenities, safety checkpoints and parking choices – all of which have been the goal of considerations from enterprise vacationers and vacationers.

Expected economic benefits on the Southwest Side include the creation of 1,700 construction and concession jobs. The terminal parking garage expansion, which is in the design phase, will add four levels and 1,400 premium parking spaces to the terminal garage. The renovated security checkpoint would include an 80,000 square-foot security hall as well as an extension of the pedestrian bridge over Cicero Avenue from 60 feet to 300 feet.

CDA envisions that the airport will see concession space grow by 50% and by 2019 it expects concession revenue to double.

The project is expected to address “concerns that have been raised bby business travelers and tourists for years”.

Southwest Airlines is the largest flight carrier at Midway, and Midway is the largest market in the airline’s network. This upgrade comes on the heels of yesterday’s announcement that Midway-area homes will receive $10 million in federal grants for additional soundproofing.

A request for proposals for the concessions – to be run by a single operator – is predicted to be launched subsequent month. “We would like our clients to have that nice expertise (on the airport)”.

“Generally, the rule is we build the structure, and the equipment, and the layout of the equipment, and the staffing is done by the federal government”, she said. The proposal is tentatively scheduled to go before the Chicago City Council next spring.

Earlier this year, Westfield Concession Management, a major developer of shopping malls and airport concessions including those at O’Hare’s global terminal, said food and retail sales at Terminal 5 rose 69 percent since redevelopment began in 2011.