http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/newgrantfo_1851.mp3
A new federal grant will help pay for construction on the new midfield terminal at the Springfield-Branson National Airport. KSMU's Kristian Kriner reports.
The Federal Aviation Administration approved a five million dollar grant for the last phase of construction at the Springfield-Branson National Airport.
This grant money is for the new midfield terminal that is being built at the airport.
Kent Boyd is the spokesman for the Springfield-Branson National Airport.
He says this new terminal will be bigger and more efficient.
"Well, the current terminal is about 155,000 square feet and the new will be 255,000 square feet. It will have ten gates just like the current terminal except it will be designed much differently and it will work much more efficiently. And from an operations airline point of view it will be a much easier terminal to deal with. From a customer point of view which of course is the most important point of view, it will be a much easier terminal to deal with things will happen much quicker. You will be able go through security quicker and board quicker," Boyd said.
Boyd says the current terminal was built in the in the early 1960's, when security was much different, so this new terminal will be much more secure.
He says the new terminal will look modern and appeal more to customers.
"When people go into this new terminal, first of all it's going to look modern. It's going to have enough space for the new security requirements. We anticipate having a much different restaurant arrangement with different varieties of food instead of just one restaurant. So I think overall, it will be a much more appealing customer experience," Boyd said.
Boyd says building a new terminal does not mean more airlines will offer service, but he says he hopes it will be a magnet for new airlines.
"Once that new terminal is online we're going to have a world class, state of the art facility which will make it much easier to move people through it. It should be a magnet for new airlines, we hope and it should serve our needs for the next forty or fifty years," Boyd said.
He says the new terminal should be open by March 1st, 2009.
For KSMU News, I'm Kristian Kriner.