Denver International Airport asks council committee to amend term lengths for 14 concession contracts

Denver International Airport officials told the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on Sept. 17 that they are asking the city to amend contract term lengths for 14 concession agreements now and bring a second tranche of 14 later.

The request comes after the airport set new standard contract lengths for newly issued agreements effective Jan. 1, 2024 — nine years for retail and 12 years for food and beverage — to reflect sharply higher build‑out costs. The airport said some existing concessionaires fall into a “middle” group that missed the Jan. 1 deadline and cannot recover prior capital investments under the old terms.

Pamela Deshant, senior vice president of concessions at Denver International Airport, said the airport has been “working hard to modernize the program, to bring in new concessionaires, more small, local businesses.” She told the committee the one remaining modernization item was contract term length and that the airport reassessed its portfolio before proposing changes to the middle group of concessionaires. “These are people who came to us and said, we’re stuck in this middle earth,” Deshant said. “Of all the concession contracts, we grouped them into 3 separate buckets. Today, we’re going to talk about the second group.”

Why it matters: airport concessions are a significant revenue and small‑business opportunity at Denver’s gateway. Extending contract terms can make it easier for concessionaires to amortize construction costs but also affects competition timelines and future procurement schedules.

What the airport asked for

Airport staff said the group under consideration includes 28 contracts in total; officials are asking for amendments to 14 in this first tranche and plan to return for the remaining 14 in the coming months. The adjustment is intended to give these concessionaires contract lengths more comparable to new agreements, after the airport concluded build‑out costs have risen substantially. "The cost of building out at the airport ... has doubled for food and beverage operators and has tripled for retailers," Deshant said, summarizing the airport’s rationale.

Committee members asked how soon the remaining contracts would come back. George Karyanakis, interim chief commercial officer at the airport, told the committee the second tranche should come in the next few months, adding that some of the remaining concessionaires are “going through personal issues, medical issues,” which affected timing.

Equity, certifications and the Great Hall

Airport staff said all airport concession contracts carry ACDBE (airport concessions disadvantaged business enterprise) participation goals. Pamela Deshant explained there are concessions that are 100% ACDBE and others that are 100% SBEC (small business enterprise concession), a race‑ and gender‑neutral program launched in 2019 to support small businesses.

Councilmember questions also touched on whether disability‑owned businesses are considered in airport procurement goals. Councilmember (Hertz) raised whether disability status can qualify a business as an MWBE; staff said they would follow up with the city’s DSPO office but noted the federal government recognizes disability‑owned business certification and Colorado also uses Disability:IN for some recognition. Phil Washington, CEO of Denver International Airport, said the airport recently added “accessibility” to its guiding principles alongside equity, diversity and inclusion.

Airport update items

Airport staff also briefed the committee on related items: a recently announced groundbreaking for a new fire station to support growth around the airport and the release of six requests for proposals for dining and retail opportunities in the Great Hall. The airport said the Great Hall RFPs include a grab‑and‑go café, a fast‑casual/restaurant with bar, a food hall, and a travel convenience marketplace, among others; some opportunities are reserved as 100% SBEC slots.

Committee action

Chair Chantelle M. Lewis asked for a motion to move the item forward and recorded that a motion and second were made. The transcript does not record a roll‑call or final recorded vote on the 14 contract amendments during the committee meeting. Airport staff indicated they will return with the remaining 14 contracts in the next months.

What the committee did not decide

The committee received the airport’s request and discussed timing, equity certifications and Great Hall procurement, but the transcript does not include a recorded final approval or a completed vote on the specific contract amendments.

Next steps and context

Airport officials said they will return to the committee with the remaining 14 contracts once the airport completes processing and addresses circumstances affecting individual concessionaires. The committee requested follow‑up on certification and equity questions (including disability‑owned business recognition). The airport also agreed to provide RFP materials for councilmembers to share with constituents.

Authors’ note: This report is based on the Sept. 17, 2025 Transportation & Infrastructure Committee transcript. It does not infer outcomes beyond what was recorded.