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During 1998 MIA handled over 34 million passengers and nearly two million tons of cargo. That will rank the airport among the major international airports in the world in passenger volume, and number two in the world in cargo volume ahead of New York Kennedy, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Tokyo.
Terminal Expansion North Phase III was completed and opened - This adds 200,000 square feet of new terminal space with 64 ticket counters, baggage check-in and claim, and airline offices. This is one of the largest major improvement to the airport terminal building in over a decade.
Concourse H was completely rebuilt and opened. This practically new concourse was rebuilt on top of its original structure and offers the traveling public improved access, convenience and handicapped accessibility, in addition to many more amenities. The total cost of the Concourse H renovation was $51.4 million for the building.
At Opa-locka airport custom service hours were extended by five hours daily which has doubled international traffic.
MIA celebrated its 70th anniversary with a big open house for the public. Approximately 150,000 people joined us in celebrating this milestone including the participation of our business partners and employees.
Implementation of the Retail Master Plan began. The cornerstone of the new concessions program was set in place with the award of the food and beverage agreement to Host International, Inc. The first phase of this project was kicked off with the opening of the food court at Concourse E in January of 1999. Overall we have opened ten new food facilities, including two Burger Kings, two Cafe Versailles, Sbarro, Cinnnabon, TCBY, California Pizza Kitchen, FruitWorks and a Casa Bacardi.
In December of 1998, the airport entered into an agreement with Smarte Carte Inc. to provide luggage cart service at MIA. Carts are available for a rental fee of $2.00 except in the Federal Inspection Station areas where they will be free of charge. Carts are located throughout the terminal and in areas adjacent to the parking garages.
Installation of the new Airport Noise and Operations Monitoring Systems (ANOMS) was completed in the neighboring communities of Miami Springs, Virginia Gardens, Key Biscayne, Virginia Key, Miami Beach and also in unincorporated Miami-Dade County. This is the latest technology used to collect and analyze flight tracking data in order to determine noise impacts on surrounding communities and to monitor aircraft flight path. In addition, the department has dedicated a special van to this program that is able to go out into noise sensitive neighborhoods and with the use of a portable noise monitor, measure and track noise levels at the site of the reported problem.
Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport was named General Aviation Airport of the Year by the Florida Department of Transportation in recognition of the recovery and improvements made to facilities destroyed six years ago by Hurricane Andrew.
Despite the Airport's heavy involvement in a major capital improvement program, bond rating continues to be among the highest in the aviation industry. With rating of A, Aa, and AA-, from Standard & Poor's, Moody's and Fitch, respectively, the airport=s revenue bonds maintain a strong and favorable presence in the financial world.
Tri-Rail opened the Miami Airport station. This is the first component of the Miami Intermodal Center, a major transportation hub planned for the next decade similar in concept to New York's Grand Central Station and Washington, D.C.'s Union Station.
In April of 1998, the late Florida Governor Lawton Chiles and the State Cabinet, sitting as the Administration Commission, approved land use amendments proposed by Miami-Dade County that would allow the County to proceed with the first phase of a commercial airport at the decommissioned Homestead Air Force Base. In May, the County suffered a set back when certain environmental groups appealed the Administration Commission=s decision to the Florida Third District Court of Appeals here in Miami. Oral argument was held on November 18, 1998, and we are awaiting a decision from the Court. The airport will continue to support efforts to seek final approval in order to proceed with plans to develop a terminal, offices, warehouses and a hotel to support approximately 200,000 annual passengers and cargo flights by the year 2015.
The airport received a Record of Decision from the FAA in December of 1998 allowing us to move forward with the design and construction of a fourth runway as part of planned infrastructure improvements to the airfield. Design of the new runway is scheduled to start in 1999, with construction beginning in the year 2000.
MIA will proceed with the now revised airport=s $5.4 billion Capital Improvement Program. Program status as of December 1998:
$1.3 billion in 252 completed projects
108 projects in the planning and programming stages: $1.3 billion
125 projects in the design/bid and award process: $1.7 billion
128 projects in construction: $752 million
Opa-locka airport is looking forward to the completion of two new construction projects in 1999 which will provide close to 16,000 square feet of new hanger space for Fighter Town. In addition, there has been a tremendous interest and activity on third party development at the airport. There are several projects on the drawing board. One of these projects alone will add approximately 300,000 square feet of new aircraft maintenance space, an unprecedented event in the history of this airport.
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