Airport Advisory Group Recommends New Terminal Plan
Today, the Kansas City Airport Terminal Advisory Group (ATAG) recommended that the city move forward with a $1.2 billion new terminal plan for Kansas City International Airport (MCI). Their recommendation flies in the face of clear opposition from the airlines and revelations that the new terminal plan is far more expensive than a simple renovation of the airport.
That ATAG recommended the new terminal plan is inexplicable based on facts, but not so surprising given just how tilted the scales really were. Nearly all the information at ATAG meetings came from the authors of the new terminal plan (Kansas City Aviation Department), the only real option presented in any detail was the new terminal plan, and the process for selecting a conclusion was weighted in favor of the new terminal plan.
Fortunately, the ATAG’s recommendation is by no means binding. MCI and its airlines have already signed an agreement allowing them to basically rewrite the plan in conjunction with the Aviation Department. In addition, Kansas City voters will get a say on whether a new terminal is built. Hopefully, fiscal discipline and common sense will prevail and voters will permanently ground this boondoggle.
Our full position on the new terminal plan is outlined in this presentation from February:
