The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport today rolled out plans for a $20.6 million concourse renovation that is expected to take a year to complete.
The work includes new restrooms, new flooring, new lighting, new jet bridges, and a generally new look from top to bottom. The final stage of the project will install new waiting area seating for the 34-year-old seats. They’ll have double armrests and USB and power plugs at every seat. Upgrades to WiFi and cell service are also a part of the project
Ron Mathieu, the airport executive director, said the airport was working with a new concessionaire on improvements. This could include a new name-brand restaurant at the Ouachita Landing on the concourse and renovations to the existing food court. A new concession area might go at what is now a charging station area just past the security checkpoint. The new seats with more power plugs will eliminate the need for that area.
The work includes some less obvious work — a new sprinkler system which wasn’t required when the concourse was built, plus new lighting changes that should dramatically cut power costs.
The work is to be done in stages. Work is underway on Gates 1 and 3, American Airlines gates, which have relocated to the rotunda at the north end of the concourse. That work should be completed before Thanksgiving, when work will stop for the busy holiday flight season. Most work will be done at night after flight service has ended.
The new jet bridges will be heated and cooled. Another new addition will be new flight arrival and departure video displays.
The work is being financed by revenue from the facility charge assessed each passenger.
The artists renderings show the south end of the concourse at top and the rotunda area below.