Airport prepares to add dozens more concessions
Atlanta airport and city officials met with businesses Wednesday to prepare for one of the biggest rounds of concessions contract awards in the airport's history.
The airport will soon seek proposals for concessions leases in the new international terminal to open next April, as well as new contracts for some of the 263 existing concessions in the main terminal and concourses.
All told, contracts for 91 food and beverage outlets and 28 retail locations will be up for grabs. The airport plans to award contracts with seven or 10-year terms, with an option for a three-year renewal.
At Wednesday's meeting at the Georgia International Convention Center, airport and city officials heard businesses comments about draft requests for proposal they plan to revise before issuing in final form next month. After reviewing submissions and making selections, the airport expects to complete leases in September.
The airport had initially planned to solicit bids last fall, but plans were delayed amid the change in leadership last year.
Some who plan to compete for concessions contracts questioned the airport's proposed requirement that businesses have at least three years of recent experience in an airport, transportation center, mall or similar environment.
"We really want to try to include as many different types of businesses as possible," Hartsfield-Jackson concessions director Paul Brown said. But he said the airport is "not really an environment for the faint of heart, or the first-time business person." Brown said he will review the businesses' concerns as the airport revises its requests for proposal.
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