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June 8, 2004 Mayor’s Press Office (312) 744-3334 MAYOR DALEY, AIRLINES CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF MIDWAY AIRPORT TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Mayor Richard M. Daley joined airline, business and community leaders and elected officials today to mark the completion of the historic Midway Airport Terminal Development Program. "Most of us can remember 20 or 25 years ago when this was practically a ghost airport, with only a handful of scheduled flights," Daley said at a ceremony at the airport. "Today it’s serving 18½ million passengers - almost twice as many as when we began construction eight years ago - and it’s one of the fastest-growing airports in the nation." "More important, it generates 90,000 jobs and pumps $7 billion into the Chicago area economy each year," he added, referring to a study by the consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton. The redevelopment included a new 941,000-square-foot terminal building; expanded ticket counters and baggage claim areas; new concourses and spacious airline gates; new shops and restaurants; a six-level parking garage; and new airport roadways. Cicero Avenue was moved 2,300 feet east. One of the major challenges was maintaining construction schedules while accommodating record-breaking growth. In response to passenger growth and the needs of the new signatory airlines, a number of enhancements were added to the original Terminal Development design. These include the flyover entrance off of Cicero Avenue to improve access to the airport and ease local traffic; extension of the terminal road canopy to protect passengers from rain and snow; and additional gates and passenger amenities. Perhaps the most significant enhancement was the addition of the customs facility in Concourse A in 2002 to enable Midway to offer direct international flights for the first time in almost 50 years. Today, ATA offers 21 weekly flights from Midway to international destinations including Guadalajara, Cancun, and Aruba. "Mayor Daley’s vision and leadership, along with the cooperation and dedication of the Department of Aviation and other entities, have made Midway the successful airport it is today," said George Mikelsons, Chairman and CEO of ATA Airlines. "ATA is proud to be a part of one of the nation’s fastest growing airports, and to celebrate a major milestone for Midway and the City of Chicago." "When Midway Airlines ceased operations in 1991, Southwest promised Mayor Daley that we would restore Midway Airport to economic health and prosperity," said Southwest Airlines Chairman Herb Kelleher. "We have kept our promises. And, thanks to Mayor Daley's outstanding leadership and our phenomenal relationship with the City of Chicago, Midway now plays a major role in offering low-fare service for travelers." ATA and Southwest were among four airlines that originally signed on to the development program. Today, nine airlines are part of the program. Airlines at Midway pay $4.45 per enplaned passenger, far below the projected cost of $7.23 per enplaned passenger when the Terminal Development Program began. The entire $927 million Terminal Development Program, including security enhancements following September 11, 2001, required no state or local tax dollars. Funding came from federal transportation grants, airport generated revenue and Passenger Facility Charges. Throughout the Terminal Development Program, the City also remained committed to not only rebuild Midway but to include area residents and local firms in the construction and redevelopment process. Through the Midway Partners for Economic Development, more than 100 area residents secured construction jobs or apprenticeships to gain the skills and experience needed to build careers in the trades. Midway’s award-winning concessions program created 300 jobs with 95% of the shops and restaurants locally-owned and operated. Daley pointed out that, "You don’t have to work at Midway, or even fly out of Midway, to benefit economically from this airport. When we’re trying to persuade employers to locate or expand in Chicago, Midway is a terrific selling point, because it makes it so much easier for them to fly people and products to all parts of the country," he said. "Combined with O’Hare, which will soon begin its own modernization program, Midway provides Chicago with unparalleled access to cities around the nation and around the world," Daley said.
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