PROJECT BACKGROUND

 

The City of Albuquerque and Sunport officials have announced a major renovation project aimed at upgrading the Albuquerque International Sunport’s safety and security infrastructure and reimagining its food, beverage, and retail offerings. “The Sunport is the gateway to our city and our state, and a renovation of this magnitude to the infrastructure of the building and the area where travelers spend most of their time is long overdue,” said Mayor Tim Keller. “With this project, we are continuing to drive forward and improve the safety and ease of the traveler experience from the curb to the gate.” There are three major components of the project. First, relocating the TSA screening checkpoint north towards the escalators, designing for greater security checkpoint efficiency for passengers and TSA agents. The second phase will be largely behind the scenes, modernizing the Sunport’s fire suppression, HVAC, plumbing, mechanical and electrical infrastructure, bringing these systems up to modern building code in areas of the Sunport designed decades ago. It will also convert lighting throughout the terminal to LED, furthering the Sunport’s sustainability efforts.

The final phase of the project reimagines the Sunport’s food, beverage, and retail area with a new look and expanded dining and retail opportunities. The Sunport’s current concessions program layout was developed pre-9/11 and has not seen any significant changes or improvements. Since then, the security screening checkpoint was added and passenger behavior has significantly changed, with the average Sunport passenger spending 55 minutes or more post-security. Moving the TSA checkpoint forward will create a 24% larger post-security footprint, allowing for additional amenities in the area of the terminal where passengers need it most.