HOUSTON — At the end of November, United Airlines announced a major expansion at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The $2.6 billion Terminal B renovation and expansion project is expected to create 1,500 new jobs for United in Houston in addition to 4,000 construction jobs.
On Wednesday, the Houston City Council was set vote on whether to appropriate $150 million to the project, but did not do so. The council said they had not received the agenda item. The money would come from the city's Airport System Consolidated 2011 Construction Fund.
"This continued partnership between United and the City of Houston only furthers our reach across the globe and underscores our commitment to growing Houston's economy," Mayor Sylvester Turner said.
The meeting will also be Turner's final as the city's mayor.
KHOU 11 will stream the City Council meeting in this story and on the KHOU 11 YouTube page.
The expansion project will include a state-of-the-art baggage system. The early bag storage facility will be the only of its kind in the nation.
The new United Club will be the largest in the country.
It's all part of United's plan to expand to 40 gates at IAH, which will result in a 40% increase in the number of people who can fly on peak travel dates.
"It's going to give us enhanced check-in, better gate support, jet bridges for all our aircraft, we'll have bigger planes that will be able to come into this terminal," United Houston Hub Vice President Phil Griffith said.
The expansion project is expected to be completed in 2026, just in time for the World Cup.
