San Jose ' San Jose Mineta International Airport leaders told the Transportation and Environment Committee they are shifting emphasis from near-term expansion to an asset-preservation program as passenger growth stabilizes below earlier forecasts.

"My name is Mookie Patel. I'm the director of aviation at San Jose Mineta International Airport," Mookie Patel said as he introduced the airport briefing, noting he and deputy director Fai Ali would present a master-plan update and an asset-preservation status report.

Fai Ali described projects completed as part of the master-plan enabling work (a six-gate interim facility completed in June 2019 at a stated cost of $58,000,000, a new ARFF/fire facility and a facilities/engineering campus) and said the team continues to evaluate cargo, on-site hotel and parking options. The Terminal C expansion remains in the master plan; staff said NEPA clearance is approved. "We have an estimate of 1,800,000,000.0 in 2023" for a full Terminal C expansion, staff noted.

Airport leaders said the facility is an enterprise fund and does not rely on the city's general fund for operations; Mookie Patel said roughly 30% of non-airline revenue comes from parking and ground-transportation fees while other revenue derives from leases, concessions and passenger-related charges. He described reserve and carrier-revenue-sharing arrangements used to fund capital work and said the airport appropriates capital from reserves and coordinates closely with airlines on capital programs and priorities.

Because passenger demand has not returned to prior forecast levels, staff described a two-stage asset-preservation approach: a near-term Phase 1 focused on core infrastructure repairs (sanitary/drainage piping, passenger-boarding bridges, electrical systems) and a Phase 2 for cosmetic and guest-experience upgrades. Fai Ali presented a five-year Phase 1 forecast of about $30,000,000 to address critical infrastructure and longer-term needs approaching $200,000,000 for a 10-year horizon.

Councilmembers asked about funding sources, passenger forecasts and how the airport is courting carriers for new service. Staff said the airport meets with carriers regularly, maintains a capital program presented to council, and uses a mix of airline agreements and reserve funds to finance improvements. Councilmembers also questioned whether a proposed on-site hotel would cannibalize city hotels; airport staff said a developer-led land-lease model targets higher-end transient properties rather than midscale business hotels.

Public commenter Jordan Moldau thanked staff for operating the airport without general-fund support but urged improved mass-transit access and exploring use of airport shuttle buses to connect riders to light rail for large events.

The committee accepted the airport asset-preservation and master-plan report by voice vote (5-0). Airport staff said they will return with further forecasting and a schedule for the Phase 1 capital program and any mall- or developer-led proposals.