Chris Woods News
Airport moving forward with $5.8M concourse demolitions
Original article appeared in the Memphis Business Journal
Airport commissioners could vote Thursday to move forward with a nearly $5.8 million concourse demolition related to its $114 million modernization plan.
The Memphis and Shelby County Airport Authority is expected to approve the contract with Chris Woods Construction Co. Inc., the only bidder, to demolish the south ends of concourses A and C. That will bring the airport’s gate count down to 60 from 83.
The demolition is part of a larger concourse correction plan, which will funnel more traffic into Concourse B and reposition the airport for a future minus Delta Air Lines Inc. The $114 million project could last through 2020.
To see a slideshow of how the airport will look following the renovation, click here.
The resolution shows that Chris Woods Construction’s bid came in at nearly $6.7 million, but that the MSCAA was able to reduce the cost through “scope verification and fee negotiations.”
The cost will be paid from 2001 Capital and Federal Grant funds, according to the resolution.
Airport officials have repeatedly said Memphis International’s passenger count depends on it becoming the regional choice for fliers. It’s facing increasing competition from other regional airports, including Clinton National in Little Rock.