Nashville International Airport Development thread

[MLBrumby]

IKR!! Can you imagine all the corruption around that figure in Chicago, IL? 

[e-dub]

Eh, I'll leave that to you

[Binbin98]

I actually believe that BNA will sustain greater than 10% growth in 2019 and experience a very high growth percentage in 2020 (when the new gates come to fruition).  So far 8 new destinations have been announced for 2019 from BNA and the year has barely even started yet lol. Those routes together will most likely bring new traffic, along with any further routes added in the coming year. I think BNA's domestic network is becoming stronger and stronger and is very impressive for a market of its size, but the current terminal is getting to be too small to hold any further passenger increases or route expansions (which are indeed still happening). BNA also should potentially think about adding a new terminal like RDU near the hangers or somewhere else to handle the capacity growth, as I fully believe the passenger projections for this airport are too small and total passengers will be about 20 million by at the latest when the international gates open in 2023, not by 2035 as the projections say they will be. I have been in the airport both in December and January and both times it was extremely packed from people all over the country and the world.

[Pdt2f]

Frontier is restarting their flight to Chicago-O’Hare, again. Starts April 30, it’ll run Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday each week. 

[dxfret]

Given the amount of investment underway with the BNA Vision project an entirely new terminal structure is not in the cards.  BNA will need to make further extensions to the current concourses and buildings.  The expanded lobby/security/baggage claim and int’l arrivals areas will help.  BNA is very busy these days and is a good barometer of the city and region’s growth and development. 

[nashvylle]

19 hours ago, Nathan_in_the_UK said:

Maybe I've been desensitized by carrier deployments and living at the end of a runway at NAS Oceana, but I'd think seeing a C-17 flying around was cool.

Yes it’s incredibly cool! And would be even cooler if people knew it wasn’t dangerous and knew when it would happen, especially after what happened in Seattle a few months ago (an insane airport worker stole a plane and flew around Seattle and crashed it outside the city, thankfully not in a building). 

[Pdt2f]

2 hours ago, nashvylle said:

Yes it’s incredibly cool! And would be even cooler if people knew it wasn’t dangerous and knew when it would happen, especially after what happened in Seattle a few months ago (an insane airport worker stole a plane and flew around Seattle and crashed it outside the city, thankfully not in a building). 

Lol yeah I don’t think it’s unreasonable that Americans are wary of low flying aircraft in urban areas. 

[Guest]

Great write-up on BNA's plans for local eats/shops with street pricing>>>
https://airportimprovement.com/article/nashville-int-l-uses-developer-model-add-local-concessions-street-pricing?fbclid=IwAR16f0xKN7Giz1sxhc0jI47pYYx5p4oYldOMkDZfiAXwSpAR2NKGaErrzu8

 

Quote

Nashville Int’l Uses Developer Model to Add Local Concessions & Street Pricing

Visitors at Nashville International Airport (BNA) will have new and more diverse food/beverage and retail options in the new year. The concessions update focuses on adding locally authentic options and signals a change for the Tennessee airport that serves 14.9 million passengers annually. 

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority awarded a 10-year concessions contract to developer Fraport USA in August 2018. Under the auspices of the Authority, Fraport will handle the design, construction, lease and management of about 108,000 square feet of concessions space once the program is fully developed in 2023. Leases and construction are set to begin in February 2019, with openings slated for later in the year. 

Doug Kreulen, president and chief executive officer of BNA, emphasizes that local restaurateurs and retailers will independently own and manage their brands at the airport.  

facts&figures Project: New Concessions  Location: Nashville Int’l Airport Scope: Approx. 108,000 sq. ft. once program is fully developed in 2023  Contractor: Fraport USA New Strategies: Developer model; street pricing; increased involvement by local businesses, products & services Term of Contract: 10 yrs  Associated Investments: $17.4 million by Fraport; $30 million-$40 million from subtenants Timeline: Leases & construction begin Feb. 2019; new concessions slated to open later same year Contractor Design Consultant: LGA Partners 2018 Customer Satisfaction Survey: Phoenix Marketing Int’l

This is a distinct change for the airport. The previous concessions model generally did not encourage independent, local ownership of food/beverage and retail shops. Another new policy, “street pricing,” requires concessionaires to price items at levels equivalent to what consumers/passengers would find for the same items at similar locations outside the airport.

The idea is to harness home-grown talent, taste, authenticity and enthusiasm to invigorate BNA’s food/beverage and retail shops. Increased sales will then provide another source of fuel, so to speak, to power the airport’s economic and employment engine for Nashville and the surrounding region. Announcements about what businesses will be coming to BNA are expected within several months.

Why change strategies now? As Kreulen puts it, “It was perfect timing. Our existing master concessions contract was expiring, and we were looking for an opportunity to improve customer service and increase participation from local and Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (ACDBE).”

Ben Zandi, president and chief execution officer with Fraport USA, says that the “reimagined program” for the airport will elevate the customer experience for retail and dining throughout reinvigorated areas of the facility. Moreover, he feels that the new approach will amplify BNA’s role as an airport that “reflects our city’s warm and welcoming environment.” 

A Time of Change

The concessions initiative is also a sign of other changes unfolding at the airport—namely a $1.2 billion growth and expansion plan called BNA Vision. The plan is implementing projects designed to “keep BNA a world-class airport for a world-class city.” Major elements include a new parking/transportation center and expansion projects in Concourse D, the ticketing lobby and baggage claim areas.

Growth in the region’s overall population and BNA’s passenger volume is driving it all. Airport officials expect traffic to grow from about 15 million passengers now to at least 23 million by 2037, an increase of roughly 50%.

Within that context, the concessions initiative is a shift in direction that, in many respects, leads right back to BNA’s locale. Nashville businesses, with their cuisine, beverages, services and products, will bring the unique character of the city and its region to millions of travelers each year.

Fraport USA, previously known as Airmall, works with numerous U.S. airports to introduce branded retail programs and street pricing models. The company has developed and is managing retail and food/beverage operations at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International, Pittsburgh International and JetBlue’s Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

“At all of our programs, we seek to lease to local businesses,” Zandi remarks. “We believe that the airport should reflect the sight, sound and flavor of the city and neighborhood. The airport should be an economic engine for the local community and businesses, therefore the profit will stay in the city…We are making the program accessible to businesses big and small. Every single concession space will be available to single operators.”

He sees the shift occurring at BNA as an example of a larger trend. “In our industry, it’s common to put together large packages of space and lease that space to large companies,” Zandi explains. “It’s efficient and relatively quick. However, making the program available to more great businesses of Nashville will lead to an authentic and uniquely Nashville experience for the travelling public. This is a key component of [the Authority’s] BNA Vision.

“The response has truly been humbling,” he continues. “We received over 425 proposals for space in the airport, with the vast majority having a strong local and ACDBE component.”

Appetite for Innovation

“One of the most exciting aspects of this project is that it’s coming at a time of expansion that is shaping the future of airports and airport concessions,” says Vivica Brown, Fraport USA’s vice president of operations for the BNA program. Brown, an airport and financial services veteran who joined the company in November 2018, reports that there is an appetite for innovation and transformation within the industry. “Dynamic retail and food and beverage programs play a huge part in enhancing the passenger experience and providing a sense of place,” she says. 

Creating a sense of place at BNA has been a multi-pronged process. The arrival of new airport authority board members and Kreulen’s appointment as chief executive in December 2017 coincided with a growing awareness of the need to examine BNA’s customer service. 

In a related development, there were interesting findings in BNA’s standard customer survey, which was conducted by Phoenix Marketing International. The survey showed that food/beverage and retail was performing at 20% below other categories within the airport. According to the survey, passengers see BNA as well above average. In fact, its overall satisfaction score of 94% towers above the firm’s 85% nationwide airport benchmark. Concessions, however, lagged behind, with approvals in the low- to mid-70th percentile, Kreulen reports.

Those findings acted as starting blocks for a series of actions. “We did a complete look at all concessions models,” recalls Kreulen. Eventually, airport officials found that the developer model held the most promise. “We believe the developer model will give us increased sales, improve customer service, create a sense of place about Nashville and allow for more local and ACDBE participation,” he remarks.

While the original goal for participation by disadvantaged businesses is 22.6%, Authority officials estimate that the new concessions agreement will ultimately produce ACDBE participation of 40% over the life of the contract. Furthermore, Kreulen notes that competition among vendors will inherently create better customer service.

That said, some concerns were raised about whether there would be enough local interest and whether local businesses could handle the additional requirements of working in an airport environment. Given the board’s nine-to-one approval of switching to the developer model, such concerns were apparently allayed.

“Once the investment is fully realized, we will have invested $17.4 million in the program, with a further $30 to $40 million invested by the individual subtenants,” Zandi shares. Fraport USA will upgrade space and build concessions areas in terminals A, B and C; subtenants will build their own spaces within those areas, “just as they would on the street,” says Zandi. “We guide subtenants through the design, permitting and construction process; however, they are free to use any licensed contractor they choose.”

Fraport hired architectural firm LGA Partners for design services. Updated artwork, selfie stations and other new amenities are planned once the concessions redevelopment is completed, says Brett Kelly, a Fraport vice president.

Renderings depict a sweeping, open space, unified in its forms and finishes. Individual units will likely include regionally themed eateries, clothing retailers and possibly a wine bar—all with distinctive looks. 

A Look Ahead

Work to execute the plan continues. In November, the team convened its first meeting with the new Nashville Advisory Council, a group of local leaders and professionals from Nashville’s business, culture and thriving arts communities. In late November, the team released a solicitation for the food/beverage program and received active response. “We’ve been on the ground talking with local restaurant owners about this for months,” reports Zandi. “And over the next few weeks, we’ll be evaluating the responses in order to make a final recommendation to the airport authority.”

Whatever specific form the proposed program takes, the Authority will review Fraport’s plan to ensure that it meets the group’s larger strategic objectives.

Kreulen predicts that the new developer model BNA is using could become an industry trend. “It gives airports more local control of participation, management and, ultimately, the success of its concessions plan,” he reasons. “The moment you arrive at BNA, we want it to be clear that this is Music City, with all the sights, sounds and tastes the Nashville brand implies.”

Stakeholders clearly are enthusiastic about the new concessions model and other changes at BNA. As Fraport’s Brown says, “It’s an exciting time.”  

 

[Rockatansky]

On 1/18/2019 at 3:30 PM, nashvylle said:

I've seen too many videos now of people working in downtown offices literally terrified. 

Why? What is scary about the USAF?

On 1/19/2019 at 4:29 PM, Pdt2f said:

Lol yeah I don’t think it’s unreasonable that Americans are wary of low flying aircraft in urban areas.

Unless they use their Mk. 1 eyeballs and see that its an Air Force cargo plane? Especially given the inauguration was the next day.

[NashRugger]

6 minutes ago, Rockatansky said:

Why? What is scary about the USAF?

Unless they use their Mk. 1 eyeballs and see that its an Air Force cargo plane? Especially given the inauguration was the next day.

Well, most people see a large aircraft flying low over a densely populated area with no notice given as a "hey, this is training for whatever reasoning..." have a reason to be a bit nervous.

As I said earlier, having been in the Navy for 13 years and counting, the fact that there was no public notice of this taking place is actually pretty damn bad if you ask me. I'd have expected the TN Nat'l Guard public affairs office to have done something in advance but clearly there was not.  Even I would be thinking more "what in the hell is going on with this AF cargo plane?"

[nashvylle]

13 minutes ago, Rockatansky said:

Why? What is scary about the USAF?

Unless they use their Mk. 1 eyeballs and see that its an Air Force cargo plane? Especially given the inauguration was the next day.

Because when people see an airplane flying near downtown buildings, they think it will crash into the buildings. What type of airplane doesn't matter.

Edited January 23, 2019 by nashvylle

[LA_TN]

 

[AUNash]

Does anyone know ... once the old short term deck is replaced with this new structure ... will the ground transportation move again? The current spot works, but it does seem that it would be better to put taxis, shuttles, and ride sharing cars directly outside the terminal.

[Bos2Nash]

1 hour ago, AUNash said:

Does anyone know ... once the old short term deck is replaced with this new structure ... will the ground transportation move again? The current spot works, but it does seem that it would be better to put taxis, shuttles, and ride sharing cars directly outside the terminal.

Tend to doubt it. The new garage was designed with ground transportation specifically in mind on the first floor. I believe the intent would be to open  the main entry up to people being picked up in personal vehicles either friends or family.

[Pdt2f]

11 hours ago, Rockatansky said:

Why? What is scary about the USAF?

Unless they use their Mk. 1 eyeballs and see that its an Air Force cargo plane? Especially given the inauguration was the next day.

Yeah nothing could ever go wrong in the military due to nefarious action or technological screwup. 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Fort_Hood_shooting

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Alaska_USAF_C-17_crash

[markhollin]

Concourse A addition (3 stories) update.

Looking NW from Terminal Drive:

Looking SW from Terminal Drive:

[LA_TN]

10 hours ago, AUNash said:

Does anyone know ... once the old short term deck is replaced with this new structure ... will the ground transportation move again? The current spot works, but it does seem that it would be better to put taxis, shuttles, and ride sharing cars directly outside the terminal.

No. Ground transportation is in its new permanent home. Access will be much better when all is completed (garage B, hotel, and terminal lobby), but all those pieces will not be complete until 2023

[DDIG]

Has anyone flown at BNA recently since the shut down? Longer lines than normal? Is Pre-Check still open? I'm flying next week.

[Mr_Bond]

It was 1996 when an F-14A crashed into a neighborhood near the airport.  Granted, he was not flying loops around downtown, but it may be in a few people's memory.

https://www.nytimes.com/1996/01/31/us/jet-aviator-killed-in-nashville-had-earlier-crash-navy-says.html

 

 

[Hey_Hey]

There was also the Blue Angels crash in Smyrna three or four years ago. 

[smeagolsfree]

Not to mention the Navy jet that crashed on Luna Drive in the mid 90's that killed the pilot and a few on the ground.

[Mr_Bond]

14 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

Not to mention the Navy jet that crashed on Luna Drive in the mid 90's that killed the pilot and a few on the ground.

I think the NYT article I linked to was referring to that crash.  I still remember driving up I-24 on my way to work that morning and thinking of what had just happened.

[LA_TN]

23 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

Not to mention the Navy jet that crashed on Luna Drive in the mid 90's that killed the pilot and a few on the ground.

 

7 minutes ago, Mr_Bond said:

I think the NYT article I linked to was referring to that crash.  I still remember driving up I-24 on my way to work that morning and thinking of what had just happened.

Y'all r talkin' 'bout da same thang

[Mr_Bond]

5 minutes ago, LA_TN said:

 

Y'all r talkin' 'bout da same thang

Great minds...

[smeagolsfree]

Yep, and there was another one about a year later north of town that was a Navy jet too.