KCI Single Terminal Referendum Overwhelmingly Passes

KCI airport rendering courtesy of Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate

Lead designer SOM envisions a KCI single-terminal airport in this rendering. Image courtesy of Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate.

By a count of 49,950 yes votes to 16,378 against, Kansas City voters approved a new, single-terminal Kansas City International Airport last week.

"We were cautiously optimistic going into the vote and it came out much stronger than I or others ever expected, in terms of the actual 75% for and only 25% against split," says Geoff Stricker, managing director of developer Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate.

Edgemoor and the Kansas City Department of Aviation will now move forward with outreach plans for community feedback on the estimated $1 billion SOM design. Open houses in all six of Kansas City's voting districts will be announced soon with the earliest scheduled just after the Thanksgiving holiday. Edgemoor partners in the winning bid include Clark Construction, SOM, the Weitz Co. and local Kansas City general contractor Clarkson Construction.

Stricker said Edgemoor and Kansas City are still planning on financial close by next Summer with construction slated to begin next Fall with completion expected by 2021.

ENR Associate Technology, Equipment and Products Editor Jeff Yoders has been writing about design and construction innovations for 20 years. He is a five-time Jesse H. Neal award winner and multiple ASBPE winner for his tech coverage. Jeff previously wrote about construction technology for Structural Engineer, CE News and Building Design + Construction. He also wrote about materials prices, construction procurement and estimation for MetalMiner.com. He lives in Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper, where the pace of innovation never leaves him without a story to chase.