South Bend, IN – Today, the St. Joseph County Airport Authority board of directors awarded a contract in the amount of $9.02 million to Ziolkowski Construction, Inc. for the construction of the Federal Inspection Station (FIS) and General Aviation Facility (GAF) at South Bend International Airport (SBN). A start date will be determined in the following weeks with a project completion date of fall 2016.
Additionally, SBN has been awarded $3.089 million dollars in FAA grant monies that will be used on this project.
SBN received its international designation from U.S. Customs and Border Protection in early 2014. The FIS will allow commercial aircraft the ability to fly nonstop to and from international destinations. Passengers will be able to clear Customs in these new facilities. The GAF will offer these same services for corporate and general aviation aircraft.
“I am pleased that our board was able to award the contract to a local contractor,” said Mike Daigle, SBN’s executive director. “This project is creating local jobs and impacting the local economy from the onset. All of our business development efforts have an end goal of making our community a better place to live, work and play.”
SBN officials are continuing to work with carriers to provide international service. Weekly service to Cancun will most likely be the first leisure destination served.
About South Bend International Airport
South Bend International Airport’s three air carriers provide nonstop flights to ten cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, New York City/Newark, Orlando/Sanford, Phoenix/Mesa, and Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg with connections world-wide. South Bend International’s multi-modal terminal serves over one million air, rail and bus passengers each year. According to the 2012 Economic Impact Report from the Aviation Authority of Indiana, South Bend International’s total annual economic impact on South Bend and surrounding communities was in excess of $1.7 billion.
For additional information, please refer to www.FlySBN.com or get social with SBN on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FlySBN), Twitter (@SBNairport) or Instagram (@SBNairport) to stay informed about the airport and the carriers that serve the Michiana region.
