Redmond City Council approved over $117 million for Redmond Municipal Airport’s Terminal Expansion Project
Tracee Tuesday
REDMOND, Ore. [KTVZ] — Tuesday night, the Redmond City Council (Councilor Kathryn Osborne and Councilor Jay Patrick were absent) approved $117,784,847 in construction and design funding for Redmond Airport’s Terminal Expansion Project.
The project is being funded through a combination of federal and state grants, loans, and the airport’s own revenue.
Redmond Airport Director Zachary Bass says the expansion will rival that of other major airports across the country.
“If you’re not already aware, hopefully you are. You know, we’re going to be adding 80,000 feet of new concourse with seven bridges, tripling the size of our retail food options.”
Just how will this new expansive space be filled?
“We do know that there’s 6000 feet of new retail concessions. Now, what exactly might that look like and what restaurants are going to be in there, or let’s say quick grab and go, etc… Not sure yet, but that should be coming out fully in the next few months,” said Bass.
Redmond City Councilor John Neilsen, who also serves on the Airport Committee, advised travelers and residents to be patient through the construction phase.
“I think people are going to have to expect to arrive earlier. There are going to be some pain points. There’s going to be some frustration in the short term. But i think in the long term, the addition of the jet bridges, the increased holding signs and all the additional entities will be more beneficial and will really pay off in the long run.”
Airport Director Bass said though adding routes are always being discussed, it won’t be a part of the new expansion. He also said, if he had a wish list of air carriers that he’d like to see fly in and out of Redmond Airport, there’s one, specifically.
“We’re always looking to a new airline, and Southwest has been at the top of that list for a little while.”
Redmond’s Airport Director said some federal funds are attached to this project. He says if the funds are pulled or they become unavailable, they will have a backup plan, as in backup funding sources they can take from.
In the meantime, how long will this project take to complete today? Two years.
To stay up to date on the latest information, check out the airport’s website.