McCarran's Expansion Takes Flight
McCarran International Airport Undergoes $90 Million Upgrade
By Tony Illia

Las Vegas's McCarran International Airport has been cleared for take-off.

Construction at the facility was grounded for 18 months after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, but the airport is now undergoing a $90 million upgrade that includes a new ground traffic control tower and an 11-gate expansion to its Satellite D Concourse.

About $50 million of the project will expand the "D" Concourse, with another $40 million for other projects, including the expansion of the runway apron.

Sletten Companies of Nevada is the general contractor, and Bechtel Infrastructure Inc., of San Francisco, is the construction manager.

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"If we want to attract growth and entice [airline] carriers, we must have gate flexibility and an efficient operation," said Rosemary Vassiliadis, McCarran's deputy director.
"When Sept. 11 happened, we put everything on hold."

As air travel slowly revived -- McCarran recorded 35 million passengers last year, just .5 percent down from 2001's numbers -- it was time to restart work. In April, with traffic numbers up 2.3 percent over last year, the airport awarded a $49.9 million construction contract to Sletten.

The 19-month undertaking calls for a two-level, 197,000-sq.-ft. northeast wing addition to the airport's D-Gates, plus a 167-ft.-tall ground traffic control tower. The fan-shaped, 550-ft.-long terminal will have 1,276 seats.

Set atop concrete spread footings, the steel-framed and glazed structure will house airport operations, including mechanical and electrical functions, on the ground level.
Passenger boarding gates, concession and retail stands will be situated above. The undertaking will require 2,135 tons of steel and 11,400 cu. yds. of concrete.

"The new wing will give McCarran a total of 104 boarding gates, enabling it to process another five million passengers annually," said Debbie Millet, an airport spokesperson.

The expansion matches the post-modern design of the existing Satellite D Concourse. The original architect, Tate Snyder Kimsey Architects of Henderson, returned for the addition.

The new 60-ft.-tall wing has a cable-tensioned glass curtain wall that maximizes natural daylight for clear panoramic views. The exterior is clad with pre-finished aluminum panels and 4-ft. sunshade louvers. The first level is built from 8-in. concrete masonry block.

"We actually added more glazing this time around," said Shelly Hayden, Tate Snyder Kimsey's project manager. "The tiles, carpet and ceiling all match the theming at D Gates."

Some new features include a central pyramid-shaped skylight atrium that allows indirect light to filter through the interior. Also, pieces of decorative glass will be inserted into five, 86-ft.-long quad-chord atriums with metal-pipe roof trusses.
Throughout the day, the glass will act as a prism and refract different shades of light across the room in a kaleidoscope of colors.

Additionally, there is a concourse expansion consisting of one large retail store, a bar, a concession stand, three smaller retail outlets and two kiosk vendors.

Sletten must also build a 167-ft.-tall ground traffic control tower. A 50-ft.-dia.- by- 50-ft.-tall glass-enclosed pod, enabling 360-degree views, will rest on two supporting 14- by 36-ft. legs. Elevators run through one leg, while the other houses stairs.

At the base of the tower, there will be a one-level, 2,200-sq.-ft. airline club. Like the new wing expansion, the steel-framed tower will have sleek post-modern look, clad in matching pre-finished aluminum panels and glazing.

"McCarran has laid- out a pretty aggressive schedule," said Erik Sletten, Sletten company president. "We anticipate that there will be 250 people onsite during the height of construction activity."

The new wing and tower, slated to finish Nov. 3, 2004, will play a vital role in the future of Las Vegas's tourism-based economy.

"Roughly half of our 35 million annual visitors come by air," said Rob Powers, spokesman for the Las Vegas Convention Visitors Authority. "A world-class destination needs a world-class airport like McCarran to grow and thrive."

About 8,000 new hotel rooms will be added to Las Vegas's inventory over the next few years. The Venetian Resort opened its new 1,013-suite tower in July. Mandalay Bay will finish a 1,122-room tower this month. Bellagio will add 925 rooms by December 2004, and the 2,701-room Wynn Las Vegas will come online in April 2005.

"With the growth and expansions happening on the Strip, there's going to be thousands of new rooms added to the city's inventory," the airport's Vassiliadis said.
"Each new room brings 350 more passengers through McCarran a year."

Unlike its airport counterparts, who often rely on federal financing, McCarran funds most of its projects itself through a combination of advertising, retail, airline and passenger fees as well as slot machine revenue. The airport also recently refinanced all of its debt, taking advantage of low interest rates. The move gave McCarran a hard cash-infusion and enabled it to kick -start construction.

"If we want to attract growth and entice [airline] carriers, we must have gate flexibility and an efficient operation," Vassiliadis said. "That's why we put our construction program back in high-gear."