Ready for Takeoff

The airlines contribute to the construction costs, but Siegel says the market is the main determinant in how they establish their fares. The port authority does have some input on what tenants charge for food, beverages and such, which is supposed to be within 5 percent to 10 percent of prices outside the airport.

Regional Impacts

Southwest Florida International Airport is ranked among the 50 busiest airports in the country. About 70 percent of those who use it are leisure travelers and 30 percent are business travelers.

"It is the economic engine along with tourism that drives this community," says Myers.

But will the appearance of a new airport terminal in itself really boost Southwest Florida's tourism? Absolutely, say those in the region's tourism industry, which injects nearly $2 billion annually into Lee County's economy.

"Just the number of flights we're going to have coming in and out, just the increase in that alone, it's got to," says Myers. "Maybe instead of Fort Lauderdale or Miami, they'll come here because we have better connections now. We've never been a connecting airport, where you get on another plane and go somewhere else."

"People say the airport is the economic engine that drives Southwest Florida's growth. That's true to some degree, but the fuel is what's happening in the region: tourism and economic development," says Sanders.

Combined with a booming population, the airport expansion puts Southwest Florida on the radar screen for companies, says Watermeier. "That attracts a different kind of business and a different level of everything, and the airport is critically important."

Businesspeople look to statistics to make their decisions, and while those might not tell the whole story, "when you have the stats, you get onto the list, and then people take a look at you. With a half million [population] in Lee, a million in the tri-county area, an expanding airport.that makes the list. All those things help identify us to get the quality things we want," says Watermeier.

The existing terminal will be razed, creating a site for a business. "We will be tearing it down and looking to get an aeronautical-

related business, probably something like aircraft maintenance and repair," says Sanders. "Since the airport is not supported by ad valorem taxes, but by what we generate here, we will be looking at something that will provide maximum revenue for us."

Watermeier says one of the best economic opportunities is to attract much-needed high-skill, high-wage jobs in aircraft-related businesses, or people that need to use the runway in and out. "And when the old terminal gets torn down, you now have the opportunity to build that area into probably one of the strongest business parks, with airport access and high-wage, high-skill jobs of the future," she says. "When you look at some of the airports around the country, you find that those that have airport access do the best."

Southwest Florida also has a tantalizing proximity to Latin American markets, she says. The region is not currently a hub, but there's opportunity in the future to be a hub to Latin America, especially with Miami busy and lacking space to expand, she says. She adds that with Southwest Florida International Airport already designated a Foreign Trade Zone, and available land and access to a runway, getting that trade zone up and operational will also help develop the international trade business.

"The proximity of the interstate, Florida Gulf Coast University-which already has business and political relationships in Mexico and Europe-and available industrial land linking them provides other opportunities," Watermeier says. "We have sufficient land with infrastructure to be able to attract some of the quality technology companies that will depend on the airport."

The airport is helping Southwest Florida move into the upper end of the mid-tier market, where it will probably remain, she says.

"There's opportunity with this expanding airport to explore things that you couldn't even explore before," Watermeier says.

Airport Shopping and Dining

The midfield terminal complex will feature a variety of local and national shops and restaurants, lined up by Paradies-Shell Factory II, LLC and Host International Inc., which serve the existing terminal.

Approximately 13,000 square feet of retail space will include 15 newsstands, gift shops and other stores, such as CNBC News, PGA TOUR Shop, Books and the Bean of Sanibel, Chico's, Brighton Collectibles, The Shell Factory and The Shops of The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel. Another 18,000 square feet will provide eateries, including Chili's, Starbucks, Burger King, Cinnabon, Maggie Moo's, Sbarro, Palm City Market, Beaches Café, First Round Café and Casa Bacardi.