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Airport director updates council on terminal construction, master plan and local-concessions requirement
Summary
Beaufort County Airport Director John Rembold briefed the council on terminal progress, a planned April opening target for the new concourse phase, the airport master-plan/ALP timeline, and a concessions RFP that includes a local-vendor participation requirement; he said FAA funding caps require additional funding strategies.
John Rembold, director of the Beaufort County Airports, presented a progress update on the Hilton Head Island terminal project and answered council questions about design, concessions, local vendor participation and the airport master plan.
Rembold walked council through construction photos and said much of the outdoor work is complete, terrazzo flooring is being installed and the concourse will include a new centerpiece and expanded concessions. On timing he said the 'bridal improvements project' is slated to finish in early spring and "we should be open for business in April." He emphasized coordination with the design-review board to preserve the Lowcountry aesthetic.
On concessions and local economic opportunity, Rembold said the RFP included a requirement to incorporate "local" participation in the vendor mix: "So there we've actually got a meeting tomorrow to go through some of the contract details, but that is a mandate within our contract... But if you're used to seeing some of the local businesses and products, if you vacation or live here, you'll see those." He told the council there will be opportunities for local vendors as part of the concessions program rather than only national franchises.
Rembold also outlined the airport master plan (a 20-year planning document) and the airport layout plan (ALP), explaining the ALP is the graphical plan that the FAA reviews and approves; the master-plan process typically takes about two years but staff hopes to condense the schedule and wrap work in roughly a year if possible. He noted funding constraints: the FAA contribution for terminals has a statutory cap and the airport will pursue a mix of FAA grants, possible bonding and state support to complete phase two.
Rembold addressed operational concerns related to a federal government shutdown: the airport operates a Federal Contract Tower (staffed by private contractors, not FAA employees), so tower operations were not expected to be interrupted; TSA agents remain federal employees and Rembold described local businesses providing lunches to TSA agents affected by the shutdown.
Why it matters: The new terminal and master plan will affect airport operations, local tourism infrastructure and concession opportunities for island businesses. Funding constraints and FAA approval steps create dependencies on federal and state processes for subsequent phases.
What’s next: Staff expects to return with phase-2 requests and ALP documents as they coordinate with stakeholders and the FAA; a more detailed master-plan stakeholder schedule and public input events will be scheduled during the planning process.
