Airport Experience® News - Post-Conference Issue 2025

Left: Branden Sowers, senior director of concessions at Denver International Airport.

Ivy Huang, procurement manager for the contracts and services division at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), was up next to discuss opportunities in the airport’s Terminal 3, which spans 880,000 square feet and includes two concourses. The terminal underwent a major remodel and expansion in 2020, and the airport is currently building the second North Concourse, expected to open in 2027. “The goal is to serve 1.5 million passengers’ needs and we are expecting to have our new contracts in place when the new concourse opens in 2027,” Huang said. There are four business opportunities available, with the solicitation going out late this spring. These include a micro restaurant and kiosk in two pre-security spaces; food and beverage opportunities covering almost 8,000 square feet, including a café reserved for a small business, two quick serve and coffee bar restaurants, and a full-service restaurant with bar; two post-security retail opportunities, including a news, gift and convenience store and a specialty boutique store; and a post-security airport lounge space covering up to 10,000 square feet. Shawna Carpenter, concessions manager

at Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO), then presented on MoreRNO, the airport’s multi-year, $1-billion infrastructure initiative designed to enhance capacity efficiency and passenger experience. The projects with upcoming concessions opportunities are two new replacement concourses. The new Concourse A is slated to open early in 2028 with the new Concourse B following a year later. “We’re currently in the package development stage and anticipate a phased activation for some of the space and for retail,” Carpenter said. “We have larger storefronts at the prominent inside corners or bends of each concourse, with additional smaller opportunities further down at the end of each concourse.” The upcoming RFP packages are slated to go out in the first quarter of 2026 and are expected to include approximately 10 food and beverage locations across pre- and post-security locations and eight retail locations, though Carpenter noted, “this may evolve with potential consolidation of specialty retail and then the later phasing of those smaller retail spaces at the end of each concourse.” Andrew Durkee, manager of airport concessions at Sacramento International

more than 11,400 square feet to the total concessions areas. ORF will start an RFP process later this spring into early summer that will include a complete update to all current food, beverage and retail concessions. Next, Isela Toledo, director of business opportunities at Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California, came to the stage, beginning by noting that the airport does not currently have any active RFPs out but that it is taking strategic steps to align its concessions offerings with its passenger demand. “Our passenger feedback shows a desire for more food and beverage, retail and enhanced amenities, and we’re actively working toward addressing these desires,” Toledo said. “Through customer surveys and spending trends, we see a desire for more diverse food options, enhanced grab and go, and a broader selection of retail. We’re evaluating the expansion of our food and beverage, retail and duty free offerings, as well as our services. We understand that this won’t happen overnight, but we want to start the conversations early so that we’re ready.”

Right: Anne Saxton, director of concessions and business development at Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.

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AX NEWS MAY 2025