Signature Flight Support Opens Sports Terminal at Miami International Airport to Help City Attract Elite Sporting Events
In an effort to help the city attract elite sporting events and better service Miami’s own professional teams, Signature Flight Support, a fixed based operator (FBO) at Miami International Airport (MIA), is proud to announce the grand opening of its brand new 3,500 sq. ft. Sports Charter Terminal and accompanying 2,500 sq. ft. ground services equipment building.
The new facility will enable a higher volume of home and visiting professional and collegiate sports teams traveling to and from the Miami area to access MIA via chartered flights.
Lester Sola, director & chief executive officer of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, cut the ceremonial ribbon of the new facility, which also features FBO and ramp improvements. Accompanying Mr. Sola was Mark Johnstone, group chief executive of BBA Aviation and CEO of Signature Flight Support, and Isaac Lee, general manager of Signature Flight Support Miami.
“The Miami-Dade Aviation Department is proud of its longstanding partnership with Signature Flight Support Miami and is excited to help unveil the new terminal, which will undoubtedly expand access to the greater Miami area and help attract more investment into our local community,” said Lester Sola, Director & Chief Executive Officer of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department.
Johnstone stated, “Signature Flight Support is pleased to expand access to the city of Miami, create opportunities for new revenue streams, and welcome professional teams, whether it’s a hometown team or one visiting from abroad. The new facility will serve as a proper gateway to all the magic the city has to offer. We are committed to continuing to invest in our world-class flight support offering at Miami International Airport and driving new economic development for the community.”
Bill Talbert, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “As champions for the tourism industry in Greater Miami and the Beaches, we recognize the economic impact that global sporting events, championships and professional and amateur sports bring to the destination. We are a big events destination with year-round major sports events that annually include the Miami Open, NASCAR’s Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead Miami Speedway, the Orange Bowl, Miami Marathon and on the horizon Miami’s record eleventh Super Bowl LIV in 2020 and the College Football National Championship in 2021. These and many more distinguish Miami as a premiere global sports events destination. The new terminal will provide both greater access and convenience for sports teams and their owners traveling to and from Miami, and we could not be more excited about the investment Signature Flight Support is making in our community."
Carty Architecture began the design and development of the new Sports Charter Terminal almost two years ago in August of 2016, and construction by State Contracting & Engineering Corp. (SCEC) commenced one year later.
The Signature Flight Support main FBO terminal was built by SCEC in 2000 and provides fuel, hangar space, handling and concierge services for all general aviation traffic entering MIA. Since 2000, the FBO has received technical upgrades in addition to several renovations to make it a LEED certified Silver facility.
In recent years, Signature Flight Support Miami has played a prominent role on the global sports stage through its servicing of the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour, the sending-off of the U.S. men’s national soccer team to the 2014 Brazil World Cup and the hosting of the arrivals of UEFA Champion football clubs for the International Champions Cup. The Sports Terminal will likely contribute to even more of such opportunities in the future.
