A joint venture of Messer Construction and Sundt Construction has turned dirt on a $900 million expansion at Nashville International Airport, according to its March 16 news release.
The JV broke ground on the Tennessee airport’s new CONRAC program, or a consolidated rent-a-car system that allows travelers to solicit transportation from businesses such as Hertz or Enterprise.
As part of the progressive design-build work, the JV will build a six-level facility comprised of a 3,000-space parking garage and an adjoining 4,700-vehicle rental car facility, per the announcement. The structure will also feature a customer service building to support rental car operations.
In addition, the team will create quick turnaround areas, which will be equipped with fueling and car wash capabilities, bridges and roadways connecting Terminal Drive to the new facility, alongside infrastructure to support on-airport shuttle operations. The expanded Terminal Drive “loop road” will increase capacity for all roadway traffic, which includes improved connections to the surrounding road network.
The Messer-Sundt partnership will deliver the project in phases until its projected completion in 2029.
The CONRAC facility is a key component of the airport’s $3 billion expansion, known as New Horizons. The plan is Nashville’s second major expansion, according to the airport’s website. Since starting in 2017, the airport has projected $4.5 billion in its development budget and scope through New Horizons’ completion in 2029.
Other pieces of the plan are already completed. In July, the airport unveiled its $247 million Concourse D expansion, the first major project completed under the capital plan. The 161,854-square-foot concourse extension, which was performed by Greeley, Colorado-based Hensel Phelps and Denver-headquartered Fentress Architects, increased the number of total gates to 11.
Other pieces of the expansion include, according to the project website:
- The Central Ramp expansion, to be completed by September 2027.
- The Concourse A reconstruction, to be completed by July 2028.
- The Baggage Handling System Improvements, to be completed by October 2028.
The Nashville airport’s expansion is bankrolled by bonds, federal and state aviation grants, passenger facility charges — which charge a sum of $4.50 per flight segment — and other airport funds, according to the project website.
Capital projects have picked up steam at airports across the country. Last July, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago’s $1.3B Terminal D broke ground, led by a JV of AECOM Hunt Clayco Bowa. And Miami International Airport recently revealed its own $1 billion expansion plan.
Meanwhile, a JV of PJ Dick, Hunt Construction Group and Turner Construction achieved substantial completion on Pittsburgh International Airport’s $1.7 billion Terminal Modernization program.
Clarification: This story has been updated to attribute the announcement to the joint venture.
