HOUSTON — On Wednesday, a $2.6 billion plan to redevelop and expand Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport took a big step forward.
City Council unanimously approved spending the first $150 million of the city’s $624 million obligation.
That money’s coming from airport funds and United Airlines will cover the remaining $1.9 billion. They’re the only airline operating in Terminal B. The project includes 40 new gates and a new baggage processing system.
"It will generate an additional 3,000 jobs and be able to host an additional more than 6 million passengers on an annual basis. And again, this is replacing a 50-year-old terminal. So, when we talk about the first impression of Houston, having a new, modern facility versus that 50-year-old facility will be a welcome improvement at the airport," Houston Airport System Director of Aviation Jim Szczesniak said.
After the vote, United said in a statement, “United Airlines is committed to providing the best travel experience to our customers and that includes investing in the $2.6B redevelopment of our Houston hub. We are thrilled that Houston City Council voted to approve their portion of this project, so that we can deliver on the numerous benefits to our customers and employees and continue to invest in the city of Houston. We extend our gratitude to Mayor Whitmire, Controller Hollins, and City Council for their support of the project and United’s continued investment in the city of Houston.”