Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY) broke ground on Thursday, Jan. 14 on the airport’s new North Terminal complex.
The $826 million project will be constructed on the north side of the existing airport infrastructure. It will include a 760,500-square-foot terminal with 30 gates, a 2,000-car parking garage, a central utility plant and a ground transportation staging area.
“As the most transformative project for New Orleans since the Superdome, the new North Terminal project will create new jobs and unmatched business opportunities for the people of New Orleans and southeast Louisiana,” says New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu. “For over 40 years, people talked about developing an airport that was reflective of our city, yet for decades there was little action and minimal collaboration. We did the hard work, leveraged our relationships with federal, state and local partners, and today a financially feasible, world-class airport is on the way.”
He added that the new MSY project will have a $1.7 billion economic impact from construction and will provide $3.2 billion in expected annual economic impact on tourism.
MSY plans to release a request for proposals for concessions for the new terminal in February, according to Iftikhar Ahmad, director of aviation. He anticipates four concessions packages – two for retail and two for food and beverage – with a total of more than 50 locations.
“[Concessionaires] will have to compete for the business with their prices, with their merchandise, with their customer service,” Ahmad says. “I think this will provide better services, both in terms of product and interaction with our passengers. And I think it will increase revenues for the airport.”
With the new terminal construction, three of the existing four concourses will be torn down. A fourth will be repurposed for charter services and administrative offices.
“This is a proud and momentous day for one of the most important projects for the future of our region,” says Cheryl Teamer, chair of the aviation board.
Funding for the project is coming from grants from both the Transportation Safety Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration Airport Improvement Project program, Louisiana State Aviation Trust Fund grants, passenger facility charge collections, general airport revenue bonds and aviation board capital funds.
Landrieu and the aviation board unveiled conceptual drawings of the terminal complex in February 2014. The terminal will have two concourses with 30 total gates, a consolidated checkpoint and connections between concourses. There also is $17 million allocated for the inclusion of an on-site hotel. In December 2015, Landrieu signed a contract with construction manager Hunt-Gibbs-Boh-Metro, a joint venture between Hunt Construction Group if Indianapolis and New Orleans companies Gibbs Construction, Boh Bros. Construction Co. and Metro Service Group.
The design team consists of architect Cesar Pelli, from Pelli Clarke Pelli; Manning Architects; Crescent City Aviation Team and Leo A. Daly/Atkins.
Opening day has been set for Oct. 1, 2018.
