NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A Bahamian group called Aerodrome Limited will lead the redevelopment of Grand Bahama International Airport in conjunction with two other partners, according to Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper.
Cooper revealed that the first phase of the $170 million Grand Bahama International Airport redevelopment will be completed no later than the first quarter of 2025 at the Grand Bahama Business Outlook Conference yesterday.
He noted that one of the critical factors in selling the Grand Lucayan is having a world-class international airport that can accommodate US pre-clearance.
“In February, the Bahamian government entered into an agreement with Aerodrome Limited, a Bahamian company; Manchester Airport Group Limited, an airport management company based in Manchester in the United Kingdom; and BHM Construction International, a London-based company,” Cooper said.
“These three companies represent a consortium that successfully bid to design, build, finance, operate, maintain and redevelop Grand Bahama International Airport and generate traffic to increase revenue and further improve Grand Bahama International Airport. This group is committed to transforming GBIA into a carbon-neutral, climate-resilient and commercially viable world-class airport. This is a $170 million project that will begin preliminary work this month,” he said. Aerodrome is run by businessman and financial analyst Anthony Ferguson, businessmen Anthony Myers and Greg Stuart and engineer Anthony Farrington.
Cooper explained that the airport redevelopment will consist of two phases which are expected to generate 1,200 construction jobs steadily over the next 5 years. “Ninety percent of these jobs must be reserved for Bahamians and work permits will only be granted where Bahamians cannot be found in accordance with our immigration laws and policies,” he said. promised.
“During the first phase of construction of the new Grand Bahama International Airport, which is expected to be completed no later than April 2025, 300 construction jobs will be created, along with another 50 jobs in engineering, management and accounting. The first phase will include the domestic terminal, the US pre-clearance terminal, new initial taxiways and aprons, new initial roads and parking lots, flood mitigation system, flood mitigation pond, renewable energy systems, sea defense berm and support bridges, air cargo facilities.
Phase two of the project would consist of new, expanded taxiways and aprons, a new interior parallel runway, new, expanded roads and parking lots, and an expanded air cargo air cargo center. The second phase will begin within two years of the start of the first phase.
Construction of the cargo area is expected to begin within three years. The new cargo area business will, according to Cooper, create approximately 50 new permanent jobs each year for at least 10 years, resulting in at least 500 new jobs in Grand Bahama.
Aero will develop and finance the airport, as well as manage the project under contract with the Freeport Airport Development Company. BHMCI will be the designer-builder, while Manchester Airport Group will operate the airport.
Cooper noted that Aero will enter into an agreement with Manchester Airport Group to come up with a facility and management fee structure, net profits from the funds’ airport operations will go into an airport infrastructure fund.
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