Denver International Airport officials along with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock celebrated what they called a significant milestone in the development of the airport's South Terminal.
In a ceremony Wednesday morning elected officials and members of the travel, construction, and aviation industry transferred the Jeppesen Terminal roof tension cables from the ground to a temporary holding structure. The transfer will allow construction crews to begin building a planned 500 room and commuter rail station.
In a statement released by DIA, Mayor Hancock said, 鈥淲e鈥檙e building Denver鈥檚 future today at DIA. On the face of it, 鈥榖uilding鈥� can appear simple: a hotel, a train station. But 鈥榖uilding鈥� also means opportunities and jobs for local and diverse business, spurring a new frontier of economic growth for the entire region.鈥�
Ground breaking on the project began .
A new video highlighting the completed project was unveiled on DIA鈥檚 YouTube page this afternoon. Showing towering glass structures and speeding commuter trains, the completed South Terminal will dramatically change the current face of DIA.
http://youtu.be/-XldBopWTlE?hd=1
In the statement, DIA Aviation Manager Kim Day says the completed project is a true modern 21st century design that complements the Jeppesen Terminal and its iconic white tent roof.
鈥淭hroughout the South Terminal Redevelopment Program design process, our focus has been to create new, game-changing amenities for our passengers and employees and to strengthen the public鈥檚 sense of pride and ownership in DIA.鈥�
RTD鈥檚 FasTracks to DIA is scheduled to be completed by 2016, and the Westin hotel is scheduled to open in 2015.
According to airport officials, there are 147 construction firms working on the project which is expected to create nearly 1,000 jobs including more than 200 permanent hotel jobs. That will generate around $2 million annually in tax revenues for the city of Denver and its general fund.
The airport has seen multiple international routes arrive in the past few months, and Denver Mayor Hancock has been pushing his plans for an 'aerotropolis', or airport city which he says will bring economic growth to the area.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5A-xCGyyJms
