A view of the expanded terminal at Owen Roberts International Airport.

The Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) has awarded the retail, duty free and F&B tender at Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA).

As reported, CIAA issued a request for proposals to operate seven duty free/duty paid concessions over 5,001sq ft as part of a total 16,003sq ft of space at the airport’s remodelled terminal last year.

Retail and duty free shops will be operated by Kirk Freeport, Last Chance Island Souvenirs, Bodden Freeport, Tortuga Rum Co., Jacques Scott Island Jewellers and Churchill Cigars.

F&B vendors have been named as Wendy’s, Subway, Island Taste and the Brew Hut. Locations will feature predominantly at the airport’s expanded departures hall with retail housed at a new shopping gallery.

Click to enlarge. Source: Airport Authority of Cayman Islands.

PHASED DELIVERY

Construction to fit-out the new areas began earlier this month and the concessions will be opened in phases over the coming months, as the airport aims to substantially complete renovations at the terminal by December.

The expansion will nearly triple the size of the airport’s current footprint, from 77,000 sq ft to 208,000sq ft, to handle 2.5m pax per year.

Other additions include a children’s play area, mothers’ nursing station, digital flight information displays, common-use self-service kiosks, 39 check-in counters and nine departure gates.

CIAA CEO Albert Anderson said in a statement: “Travellers to and from Owen Roberts International Airport can look forward to a myriad of enhancements and amenities over the next several months as we move closer to completing this multi-phased project to better serve our guests and to offer them a world-class airport experience.”

The airport had originally set a June 2017 deadline for the tender and was expected to award the concessions in August.

Local media claim the airport missed its own bid deadline, with The Cayman Compass reporting an extension to this deadline following an agreement with the bidders.

Asked to comment on the reason for the delay, a Spokesperson at CIAA said: “We were in the process of signing leases before a formal announcement of the winners could be made.”

Click link above for details of the original tender.