City-run Cleveland Hopkins Airport will soon be home to dozens of upscale shops and restaurants under a plan to turn its terminals into a so-called Airmall. The city awarded development company BAA USA with a ten-year contract to operate the airport shops and concessions replacing its troubled relationship with HMS Host. Airport Director Ricky Smith says travelers will see a lot of changes in the next couple of years.
SMITH: First you will see a complete changeover of where the food court is and the specialty retail shops are today. You’ll see new national brands, local brands, regional brands that our customers have grown to love over the years. You’ll also see a more open, vibrant environment.
Smith expects sales to increase 100% after the changeover, and says there will be opportunities for local businesses to set up shop. The number of shops and restaurants is expected to swell from under 50 to nearly a 100.
BAA promises that stores at its Airmalls won’t charge more than at normal malls. While BAA’s Airmalls appear popular in the US, its parent company, which operates most major airports in the UK, has come under criticism for spending a lot of money on fancy shops, while neglecting its basic services like restrooms. But Smith says BAA will only be in charge of retail and food at Hopkins.