COLORADO SPRINGS — The Colorado Springs Airport is expanding its footprint by nearly 600 acres. It's to add more space for businesses at the Peak Innovation Park. The idea is to make more money to put back into the airport and keep costs low for flyers.
The city invested $38 million in the airport's surrounding property, Peak Innovation Park. Adding 562 acres to the property for development over the next five years.
This summer, the airport reported its highest passenger numbers in more than 20 years. So far this month, there has been a 17% increase in flyers compared to last November.
"That has allowed us then to take on projects to stay one step of ahead of the growth that we have," said the airport's aviation director Greg Phillips.
The expansion should bring in $176 million in revenue to the airport over 40 years, said the park's development director Troy Stover. By 2025, he said the entire park is projected to have an economic impact on the city $1.8 billion every year.
"This airport will then able to have additional revenues that can help fund the airport and not put all of the costs on the airlines and the users of the airport," said Stover.
"Would definitely love to see some shopping in the area," said first-time flyer Matt Martel. "I love it, it's clean, it's easy to navigate, more of a chill vibe."
"It's probably a good thing for Colorado Springs, hopefully, it doesn't get like Denver but I don't think it would," said a flyer for 13 years Sarah Stejskal.
Airport staff say they are gearing up for another record-breaking winter travel season. They say the expansion project is that much more needed to keep up with the increasing number of flyers.
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