$600 Million CLT Lobby Project Begins with Major Changes and Lengthy Construction

Charlotte Douglas International Airport broke ground on a $600 million lobby expansion Tuesday, the most expensive single project in the airport’s ongoing renovations.

Destination CLT is the airport’s $2.5 billion to $3.1 billion capital investment program renovating and expanding the airport. The terminal lobby expansion will add another 175,000 square feet for TSA security screenings, ticketing, baggage claim and offices.

Construction is supposed to take more than five years and be finished in 2025, according to the airport.

“Big changes are coming to this terminal and they are sorely needed,” said Julie Eiselt, Charlotte’s mayor pro tem. She said this project is one of the most exciting the city has seen

It’s also the latest construction project for the sixth busiest airport in the country.

The lobby expansion will include two overhead pedestrian walkways and two underground walkways connecting the hourly deck to the terminal.

The airport’s Queen Charlotte statue will be moved to the lobby in 2021, according to the airport.

The existing lobby space will be affected by ongoing construction and some entrance and exit doors may be closed during the project, aviation Director Brent Cagle said. He said the airport will update passengers on closures.

“The results will really speak for themselves — they’re going to be wonderful,” Cagle said. “But while we’re under construction, please pardon our dust.”

‘A long time coming’

The completed hourly deck and roadway construction projects paved the way for the lobby expansion by moving the lot and roadways, adding room for expansion, airport Chief Operating Officer Jack Christine said.

“This has been a long time coming,” he said.

When the terminal first opened in 1982, the airport served 2.8 million passengers. In 2018, CLT saw 46 million customers, according to the airport. Christine said the airport has to expand to host the increase in customers.

“We’re already behind,” Christine said. “If you’ve been in our lobby on some of our peak days, you’ve seen the crowds.”

The project will be paid for through airport revenue, in a combination of passenger facility charge revenues, customer facility charge revenues, general airport revenue bonds and airport cash. The airport does not receive taxpayer money.

So far, the airport has wrapped up three Destination CLT projects — the $50-million roadway project, the $200-million Concourse A expansion, and a $39-million food court addition that includes Shake Shack and Bojangles’.

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