Gary Airport details management restructuring
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The Gary/Chicago International Airport Authority has announced it will resume independent management, operations and development of the airport. The airport is exiting its agreements, signed in 2014, with airport manager Avports and airport facilities developer Aviation Facilities Co., both based in Virginia.
The authority says the agreements were signed to assist in the evolution of offerings at the airport. After eight years, the airport says its sustained growth and added infrastructure offerings has positioned it to be independently operated.
“We are pleased to be able to exit these agreements with much more robust aviation-centric infrastructure, operations and facilities in place, allowing GCIA to strongly position itself for the coming years,” GCIA Board Authority Chairman Pete Visclosky said in written remarks. “Years of sustained growth and investment by public and private entities alike have created strong momentum allowing the airport to move towards its long-standing objective of a locally sustainable airport, and we thank both Avports and AFCO for their contributions over the past few years to our continued success.”
The airport cites the main runway extension project in 2015, as well as the completion of its U.S. Customs Facility in 2018 as two of the main improvements since signing the agreements with Avports and AFCO.
In 2020, the airport authority approved a lease agreement with UPS to begin cargo service operations.
Earlier this year, the airport completed an update to its Master Plan, which it says will guide the next 20-25 years of airport development and aviation growth.
“Avports is proud to have put GCIA into a position to control their own destiny and success,” said Avports CEO Jorge Roberts. “As GCIA takes steps toward their next phase of progress, Avports remains committed to providing the highest level of service during the upcoming transition.”
The airport did not immediately provide a time frame for the transition to be complete.