TPA nears the end of Master Plan Phase 1

(January 4, 2018) The Rental Car Center is almost finished. The SkyConnect train is undergoing final testing. Most of the new concessions are open and serving guests. Joe Lopano thanks workers

Phase 1 of Tampa International Airport’s Master Plan expansion is nearly complete and the results – and the economic impact to the region – are tremendous.

“This project not only benefits our guests, but it benefits our community as a whole,” said Airport CEO Joe Lopano. “We are committed to growing as our region grows so we can better serve our passengers while also helping Tampa Bay prosper and thrive.”

Since the groundbreaking in late 2014, more than 10,500 people have logged more than 5.7 million hours transforming nearly every corner of the Airport campus. Workers have created more capacity on the Airport’s roadways and in the terminals, adding more modern amenities and providing economic opportunities for businesses throughout the Tampa Bay region and the state of Florida.

Key components of the program include the new SkyConnect automated people mover system, a 2.6-million square foot Rental Car Center and a main terminal expansion and concessions redevelopment program.

As of January 2018, roughly 600 companies have worked on the job. Of those, about 90 percent are based in Florida or have regional offices in the state and nearly 200 are woman, minority or disadvantage enterprises.

“Our local contractors have been a crucial part of our Phase 1 expansion,” said Executive Vice President of Facilities and Administration Al Illustrato. “This is Tampa Bay’s airport and it is important that we involve members of the community in it during every step – from design to completion.”

A series of outreach and networking events helped bring in Bay area companies, which had some of the heaviest lifts.

Morrow Steel, a Zephyrhills-based fabricator and erector, installed much of the structural steel for the Main Terminal expansion. West Tampa Glass hung all of the glass panels for the Main Terminal as well as each of the three SkyConnect stations. Architectural Tile and Marble, based in Tampa, laid all the tile for the Main Terminal, the SkyConnect stations and the Rental Car Center customer service building.

The list of local companies also includes L.A. Design, which designed the landscaping; Borrell Electric, which managed electrical work; site developers McKenzie Contracting; and design-builders Kimmins Contracting and Cone & Graham, which led TPA’s efforts to build a new taxiway bridge and redevelop many of the Airport’s roadways.

One of TPA’s biggest successes: Spreading the wealth throughout the community.

With some elements of the project still to go, Tampa International has already surpassed its initial goal of spending $122.8 million with woman- and minority-owned companies. To date, the Airport has paid $153.6 million with a total commitment of about $180 million.

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