Denver International Airport (DIA) reports that minority and ‘women-owned’ concessions companies at Denver International Airport (DIA) earned more than $129m in the 2014 fiscal year, setting a new record for disadvantaged business revenue at DIA.

 

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Concessionaire Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) programme provides opportunities for minority- and ‘women-owned firms’ to participate in airport concessions, by setting participation goals for every shop, restaurant and service provided at the airport since the Federal programme began in 2006. [Airports participating in the scheme also qualify for Federal Funding-Ed].

 

Denver Airport management stated: “In 2014, the Denver Office of Economic Development’s Division of Small Business Opportunity (DSBO) set DIA’s ACDBE aspirational participation goal at 33% of total concession revenue. The FAA approves all goals.

 

“The 52 certified ACDBE companies at DIA earned a total of $129,971,406 in FY2014 – accounting for a record 39.35 per cent of gross concessions revenue.”

 

 

PROUD ACHIEVEMENT

Airport CEO Kim Day added: “Denver International Airport is committed to inclusivity, and to providing significant growth opportunities for disadvantaged minority and women-owned firms in all airport business prospects. We are proud to have exceeded the FAA-approved ACDBE goals, as part of our initiative to increase diversity throughout the airport and our operations.”

 

The airport’s overall concessions programme generated $322,803,611 in gross revenue in calendar year ending 2014, a 9.5% increase on the $294.8m result in 2013. DIA currently offers a total of about 140 shops, restaurants and services over plus-177,000sq ft of space.

 

This revenue translated into an average of $12.07 per enplaned passenger in 2014 – an increase of 7.58% over the $11.22 per enplanement in 2013 and an all-time high for DIA. As reported already, the airport served a record 53.4m passengers in 2014.