KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The developer for the new terminal at KCI said there will be “minimal impact” on the project’s timeline as the airlines get a second opinion on the cost and scope.
On Tuesday, the airlines met with the city and its aviation department to express concerns and the desire to enlist another consultant to take a look at the terminal plans.
"It's a very big deal, and people want to make sure it's right before they sign their name to the bottom line. If the airlines want to take a couple more weeks, it's fine by me," said Edgemoor Managing Director Geoffrey Stricker.
Construction on the terminal can’t begin until the environmental assessment is approved by the FAA, and that’s not expected for a couple more weeks. Stricker said design work will continue in the interim.
A spokeswoman for the mayor said the aviation committee and council will also continue working on the community benefits agreement and other aspects of the ordinance that must pass along with the airlines' agreement.
If that is completed by early next year, then Edgemoor can still meet its planned groundbreaking in January.
According to Dan Landson, a spokesman for Southwest Airlines, the second cost estimates will be compiled by a consultancy company that is under contract with the airport.
Edgemoor's plan has already gone through this process once before with a cost consultant hired by the Kansas City Aviation Department.
"The numbers after the reconciliation were right on top of each other, so I'm confident when we go through this exercise again with the new consultant, we're going to end up in the same place we are now," Stricker said.
The aviation committee will meet Thursday at 9:45 a.m.
