Dane County Regional Airport Dedicates New Prairie Style Terminal

June 21, 2006
Sharyn Wisniewski (608) 661-6485 / cell (608) 712-1950
Airport

MADISON, WISCONSIN - Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, the Dane County Board and members of the Airport Commission today celebrated the dedication of the new Prairie Style terminal at the Dane County Regional Airport. The five-year, $65 million project doubles the size of the terminal to 274,000 square feet. “This new terminal accomplishes three really important goals. We have a much more convenient and pleasant terminal for travelers. It is a state-of-the-art facility, as well as 9-11 security compliant,” said Falk. “And third, this is economic development. This project accomplishes these three key goals, and I want to thank everyone who came today to help celebrate these accomplishments.” Airport Commission Chair Bill White described the new restaurant and retail amenities in the airport and also stressed the security features that were built into the design post-9-11, such as baggage screening completed behind the scenes and out of the way of busy passengers. The audience was also treated to a video history documenting the airport’s growth, “A History of Progress, A Future of Hope,” tracing the airport from its first terminal in 1938, through various expansions up to the present. A ribbon-cutting at the end of the ceremony marked the official opening of the terminal which was kept open and operating throughout the entire five years of construction. The Project Design Team consisted of Architectural Alliance of Minneapolis (Matt Dubbe, lead architect), Mead & Hunt of Madison, and Arnold & O’Sheridan of Madison. General Contractors for the project were Bauer & Raether Builders of Madison, Oscar J. Boldt Construction of Appleton, and Tri-North Builders / GPD- Gilbane of Madison and Milwaukee, respectively. The airport receives no county tax subsidy. The expansion project will be paid for primarily through airport revenues over 20 years. Federal funds of $3.6 million and $1.6 million in state funds were also contributed to the project. # # #