Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2023

RENDERING TO RE AL I T Y

Travelers walking through the City Market “neighborhood” of the new Kansas City International Airport (MCI) might look up to see some unusual birds overhead. “Ornithology” is an installation by artist Willie Cole. The work consists of twelve larger-than life birds made entirely from alto saxophones, a tribute to Kansas City native sone and jazz great Charlie “Yardbird” Parker. The birds are suspended from the ceiling at the City Market-themed food hall and retail shop in Concourse Node B. “It’s one of my favorite parts [of the new terminal],” says Pete Fullerton, assistant director, properties and commercial development at MCI. “If you go to the actual City Market in town, birds are all over the place. We truly delivered that Kansas City-centric feel,” he says, and not just at that location but throughout the entire terminal. Kansas City natives are hometown proud and aren’t shy about showing it. They care deeply about the airport and want it to ref lect their beloved city, says Melissa Cooper, deputy director of aviation, property management and commercial development at Kansas City International Airport. “I’m Kansas City and born and raised but man, people here are passionate about their airport,” Cooper says. “People had opinions and strong ones. They want local. They want Kansas City, love Kansas City. We wear Kansas City [gear] like we’re marketing professionals.” The Kansas City passion is evident throughout the airport, with both retail

and food and beverage showcasing the best the city has to offer. More than 80% of the nearly 50 eating and shopping experiences are local concepts, offering the best of Kansas City and the region’s flavors, makers, history and experiences, according to Vantage Airport Group. Shops and restaurants like Charlie Hustle, Urban Café and Stockyards Brewing Co. greet travelers, as well as experiences that introduce iconic KC destinations like the City Market. Fullerton says Vantage and its operator partners brought local to the airport in ways surpassing what many other groups had proposed. “It’s a comprehensive package, not just the licensing to try to look like it’s Kansas City but not carrying all the way through,” he says. “This is true local ownership.” Fullerton also points out that the large percentage of local merchandise available at retail further underscores the goal of providing myriad opportunities for local businesses. Massive Transition The goal of local representation and a sense of place is nothing new for North American airports – local feel has been a mantra for many over the past decade or more. MCI’s new terminal is remarkable not only for the sheer number of local operators and amount of local goods on offer, but for the massive shift the concessions program has made. “One of the things that was a revelation when we started looking at putting together this program is that we really didn’t ever have a concessions program,”

Above: City Market, a popular area in downtown Kansas City, is recreated in Node B of the new terminal.

says Fullerton, noting the terminal design of the old facility – three horseshoe-shaped terminals with highly segmented gates and limited access to concessions post security – gave the airport the dubious honor of having the lowest sales per enplaned passengers among medium-hub airports. Now, the new single represent s a transformation of the passenger experience. The open and airy terminal is filled with natural light and passengers can move seamlessly throughout. The A Node and the B Node – connected by moving walkways – both feature a broad range of amenities, upgraded technology and convenient gate access. Sammy Patel, vice president, commercial at Vantage Airport Group, notes that Vantage was tasked with developing the concessions for the new terminal, where typically the firm has a much larger role operating entire terminals. He says the “transformational objectives” of the terminal project drew Vantage to the table. Every concessions decision made was with the overall passenger experience in mind. “For us, it was all about how to integrate into the entire [terminal] program rather than operating in our small world of

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