FORT MYERS, Fla. — Wednesday, the Southwest Florida International Airport held an official groundbreaking ceremony for phase two of their terminal expansion project.
Construction has been underway since October 2024 on the new 513,000 square foot concourse.
Lee County Port Authority members tell Fox 4 community corespondent Stephen Pimpo about the impact they hope this expansion will have on Southwest Florida:
“This looks like a billion dollar job sight,” said Lee County and Port Authority Commissioner David Mulicka. “It’s active, organized, clean, you can see the discipline. It’s going to make our capacity almost 50 percent greater than what we have right now.”
The new Concourse E will feature 14 aircraft gates (including United, American and Frontier airlines), nine security checkpoints with access to all other concourses, as well as as a baggage claim area and business lounge.
“You add 14 more gates, you put four flights on each gate, you’re expecting 10-15,000 more passengers that could connect there on any given day,” said Lee County Port Authority Executive Director and CEO Steven Hennigan.
The airport saw more than 11 million people in 2024 and ranks among the top 50 in the United States when it comes to passengers. Phase two of the project will cost roughly $1.1 billion but is being paid for through grants and money from the Florida Department of Transportation.
Mulicka says phase two is a welcome change as delays continue to hamper phase one renovations, which included the discovery of structural damage to one of the buildings earlier in 2025.
“Unfortunately there’s some things that were built that are going to need to be demolished and built again,” Mulicka said.
However, Mulicka believes they will finish phase one faster and for less money than they first thought. The Lee County Port Authority Joint Board with the Board of Port Commissioners and Airports Special Management Committee will meet March 24th to discuss where things stand with phase one.
For phase two, he says they will be getting weekly updates on construction progress.
“We’re going to know from day 1 if the job’s going right or needs help to make sure we follow this,” Mulicka said. “But I’m telling you, everything I’m seeing on phase two, I’m pleased to see the difference.”
The goal is to have Concourse E ready by late 2027 or early 2028.
