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As the summer travel season heats up, passengers traveling through Midway can expect to see a fair amount of construction, particularly near the airport’s Central Market, as work on the final phase of the Midway Modernization Program is well underway. This includes a series of concessions upgrades featuring a mix of new and existing brands with diverse ownership teams.
“We’re so excited to welcome more than a dozen new retail, food, and beverage brands to Midway this year as part of the Midway Modernization Program, the most significant investment in our Southwest Side airport in more than two decades,” said CDA Commissioner Jamie L. Rhee. “With passenger volumes at Midway surging above pre-pandemic levels, it’s more important than ever to enhance the airport’s passenger experience through these concessions improvements, while providing thousands of jobs and contracting opportunities for local and diverse-owned businesses.”
“The CDA and Midway Partnership are committed to delivering a world-class airport experience of the highest quality and standards with a strong emphasis on local standout Chicago food and retail brands,” said Midway Partnership CEO Sammy Patel. “As part of our continued transformation, these exciting new additions continue with our commitment to including brands and concepts that are owned and operated by small, local, minority Chicago businesses. That is why Chicago Midway boasts one of the highest Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) minority participation rates in the United States at 56%.”
Construction on the following food and beverage locations is underway, with locations opening or re-opening in phases this fall:
- Garrett Popcorn Shops, near Gate B14
- Connie’s Pizza, Central Market
- America’s Dog and Burger, Central Market
- White Sox Bar and Grill, Central Market
- M Burger, Central Market
- Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, Central Market
- Dunkin’, Central Market
- Reilly’s Daughter, Central Market
"It is exciting for our team at NorthAmerican Concessions to be adding three new locations to our already existing hometown favorites Harry Caray's Shortstop, Arami, and Woodgrain Neapolitan Pizzeria," said Deven Rand (she/her), president of ACDBE partner NorthAmerican Concessions, the organization that will open Connie's Pizza, America's Dog and Burger, and the airport’s second Garrett Popcorn location on Concourse B. "It is vital to have minority-owned, local businesses and brands as part of the airport to greet the millions of visitors to Chicago Midway, elevate the customer experience, and provide jobs for our communities."
Construction on the following retail locations is underway, with locations opening in phases this summer and fall:
- Hudson, near Gate B9
- Evolve, Central Market
- Tumi, Central Market
- MAC/Jo Malone, Central Market
- Southside News, near Gate A11
- Atrium, near Gate A5
This year’s construction is the final phase of the Midway Modernization Program, the most comprehensive investment in Midway’s facilities in more than two decades.
The centerpiece of this capital improvement program was the expansion of the security pavilion bridge over South Cicero Avenue, which opened in 2020. This project increased the queuing area by 80,000 square feet, doubling the TSA's capacity to process passengers, from 2,500 per hour to 5,000 per hour. Other capital investments at Midway include upgrades to the airport's parking facilities, which featured new EV charging stations, upgrades to lighting and traffic flow, and the modernization of the elevator system.
“The construction work underway in our concessions spaces is a long time coming, as many of our partners originally scheduled for buildouts in the spring and summer of 2020 were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CDA Managing Deputy Commissioner Elizabeth Granados-Perez, who oversees Midway. “We thank Midway Partnership and our diverse ownership groups for their perseverance during these challenging few years.”
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