CLEARWATER, Fla. — The original expansion concept St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport leaders began exploring two years ago greatly exceeded available funding and has been scaled back to a modernization-renovation expansion project, according to Airport Director Mark Sprague.
“The original expansion was slated as a budget for $110 million,” he said. “As we continued to get the schematic designs and the project evolved, the price tag was over $200 million.”
Sprague presented his findings and a new recommended path forward to Pinellas County commissioners during a workshop on Thursday. The director said airport leaders met with stakeholders and were consistently told that before building new space, PIE should first modernize the existing terminal.
“That input, combined with our financial analysis, led us to today’s recommendation,” he said. “A fiscal responsibility program that… modernizes aging infrastructure, improves operational efficiencies, enhances the passenger experience and still preserves the flexibility of future growth.”
The budget for the revised expansion and renovation project is $145 million, with the funding coming from airport reserves, the FAA and FDOT, according to Sprague. Commissioner Rene Flowers said she’s happy the airport is not going to take on any debt.
“We have the money, which is really important,” she said. “Certainly the upgrades will bring us up a notch, if you will, when it comes to an airport our size, and it also fits within the budget.”
The project includes a 40,000 square foot elevated terminal space, which will have four to five new jet bridges. Sprague said the new building will help aircraft turnaround times improve because it’ll replace the current one-gate door which is used to board three airplanes.
“An ultra-low cost carrier aircraft should be able to come in, offload, reload in 40 minutes,” he said. “Because of our inefficiencies, it takes 60 to 120 minutes to turn that aircraft around.”
Plans to renovate the original terminal have 13 elements which include replacing sewer lines, part of the roof, modernizing the restrooms, replacing two jet bridges, upgrading the fire control panel, new signage, modernizing all the columns throughout the terminal, new construction of a wall along the southern portion of the terminal, modernizing the rental car ticket area, renovating the baggage area and renovating the ticket counter area, which Sprague said topped the list.
“Our ticket counters, it was a good setup 10, 15 years ago,” he said. “But with the innovation of technology and the kiosks, traveling passengers want to do that. They don’t want to go up to a ticket counter if they don’t have to.”
Flowers said she was happy the gate holding room area was going to be remodeled with more seats being added, as she has seen passengers sitting on the floor when the airport is busy.
“We’re going to make sure that they’re comfortable while they’re waiting on their flight,” she said. “That was one of my concerns.”
Many commissioners pressed Sprague about adding a new airline to PIE, which he said cannot be done until the renovations are complete.
“In order to bring a new airline in that that can sustain growth, we need to… modernize the terminal first,” he said. “We need to fix all our efficiencies in order for the current terminal to be much more easily accessible and customer-friendly.”
Sprague also presented a new five-year operating agreement with Allegiant Airlines, which will bring in an extra $1.2 million in fiscal year 2027 and continue growing by three percent for each additional year. Those new funds will be used to replenish the airport reserve fund for future growth.
Pinellas County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the approval of three revised contracts for the airport expansion and renovation project at their meeting on Tuesday. If approved, construction will begin in 2028 and wrap up by 2032.
Josh Rojas
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