The city Airport Trust approved the final construction plans Thursday for $65.3 million in renovations and expansion of Will Rogers World Airport’s terminal building and related facilities.
Airports Director Mark Kranenburg said the primary goal of the project is to increase gate capacity because Will Rogers has only one leasable gate now, which limits marketability to other airlines.
The city also needs to stay on pace with the federal Transportation Security Administration’s passenger-checking processes, officials said. To more efficiently accommodate travelers, the airport will build a new security checkpoint with more space on both sides of the scanning equipment.
The Oklahoma City office of Frankfurt-Short-Bruza Associates has been contracted to design and oversee the project, which includes a new concourse, four new gates, more concessions and larger reception lobbies. As the space is designed now, passenger greeting takes place in a narrow lobby immediately adjacent to the TSA checkpoint and is split by escalators to the baggage claim area.
Rick Johnson, FSB’s chief operating officer, described the new design as something more akin to a “town square.” The design will also provide visitors with upstairs, panoramic views of the airfield with more seating space on the pre-check side of TSA.
Source: The Journal Record