The Tampa International Airport (TPA) is receiving a bit of a makeover. Renovations are underway that will add improved parking, autonomous driving technology, expanded local concessions, outdoor lounge areas and more.
17-acre commercial development in the works
On May 4, the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority Board of Directors approved a $132.4 million budget amendment allowing initial allowing initial work to begin on Phase 2 of TPA’s Master Plan. This allows the airport to begin the development of a 17-acre commercial area around the newly built consolidated rental car center.
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Overall, the $543 million project features a commercial development area with an office building, a convenience store with gas station, hotels, a commercial curb to accommodate transit and other ground transportation, as well as connections to regional trail networks. With the city of Tampa slowly transforming into a travel destination, and TPA continuing to acquire direct routes to premier international locations, their renovations will also serve to expedite the travel process.
New airside with 16 gates planned for Phase 3
The curbside expansion includes new express lanes exclusively for passengers without checked luggage. Preparation for the development will be in mid-2018, construction is scheduled to be completed by In Phase 3, TPA plans to add a new Airside D with 16 gates serving both domestic and international flights. These planned updates will allow the airport to serve roughly 34 million passengers annually.
You can learn more about the airport’s Master Plan online. Be sure to follow TPA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for gorgeous photos, construction updates and details on new domestic and international routes.
Airport set to exceed all time traffic levels in 2017
The Tampa Bay region contains more than 7 million people within a two-hour drive of TPA. Since the release of the 2013 Business Plan, passenger traffic at Tampa International Airport has fully recovered from the recession of 2008 through 2010. Traffic levels increased by 2.4% in 2014, by almost a further 7% in FY2015 and 2.4% in FY2016 with FY2016 year ending figures approaching TPA’s all-time record levels of around 19 million passengers.
The FY2017 Budget projects a further passenger increase of 1.9% which would result in TPA matching or exceeding its all time traffic level of 19.3 million passengers.
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