Summerfest Marketplace will arrive at MKE in the coming year.

Paradies Lagardère will phase in 11 new commercial units at Milwaukee General Mitchell International Airport from H2 2019 after winning a contract to operate news, gift and speciality retail concessions.

A request for proposal (RFP) to develop, build, finance and manage eight locations in package A in the main hall of the terminal and in concourses C and D, and three locations in package B was issued in November.

Investment in the new concessions, which run for 10 years with three one-year mutually renewable extension options, totals almost $7m. Brands to introduce include No Boundaries, TripAdvisor, PGA, Spanx, Brighton Collectibles, Scoreboard, Third Ward Crossing, Bay View Exchange, Summerfest Marketplace and Girl in the Moon.

“A meeting to finalise the order of the remodel is being scheduled with the airport soon, but a preliminary thought is to begin with two unoccupied, new spaces: B2, which becomes Scoreboard and B3, which becomes a Brighton Collectibles, with design beginning in June and opening approximately December 1,” a Paradies Lagardère Spokesperson told TRBusiness.

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The Milwaukee County-operated airport is reconfiguring its commercial mix to include new pre- and post-security concessions and amenities to lift the passenger experience in a manner that echoes the Milwaukee and Wisconsin ‘sense of place’.

Last week, Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele announced a refresh of the airport’s commercial footprint.

In a statement, he praised the ‘outstanding mix of local brands that reflect the spirit and culture of Milwaukee, as well as established national brands that travellers know and trust’.

Paradies Lagardère won the bid to operate 11 retail concessions at MKE. Source: The Milwaukee County Department of Transportation. Click to enlarge.

A total of 22 restaurants (operated by HMSHost) and retail shops are expected to be replaced or reconfigured by December 2020.

“Airports continuously update and modernise their retail and dining offers to stay current with passenger expectations and Milwaukee County is excited to move forward with this refresh,” he said.

Gregg Paradies, President and CEO, Paradies Lagardère added: “We are thrilled to introduce these new shops to MKE. We’re not only bringing popular, internationally-known brands, but several locally-influenced concepts.

“We’re confident that the retail programme Paradies Lagardère has developed for MKE, an airport we’ve had a long-standing successful relationship with, will offer travellers an enhanced customer experience.”

MKE handled 7.1m passengers in 2018 and offers direct flights to 40-plus destinations.

Paradies Lagardère topped sales of $1.2bn in a standout 2018 that included contract defences and new business at airports in Sacramento, San Francisco, Vancouver, Salt Lake City, Orlando and Dallas/Fort Worth.

For an in-depth interview with Paradies Lagardère Executive Vice President Gerry Savaria, see the March edition.

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