‘This is mainly driven by growth:’ JAA board moves forward with plans to expand parking at JIA

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Airport leaders are moving forward with plans to add parking to Jacksonville International Airport.

“This is mainly driven by growth,” said the Jacksonville Aviation Authority Chief Financial Officer, Ross Jones.

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At a board meeting on Thursday, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority voted for parking expansions to the airport.

The first parking project is adding a third parking garage which would be six stories and 2,000 total parking spaces. That also includes spots for rental cars.

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“The first parking garage here was built in 1991,” said Jones. “The second and only other parking garage was built in 2001.”

Action News Jax told you this month that some days as many as 14,000 people fly in and out of JIA, that’s according to Mark Vanloh, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO.

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The second project is expanding the surface lot. Economy lot 3 will be converted into an employee lot but there will be 400 spaces for the general public.

The cost for these projects is up to $110 million and to help raise money, the aviation authority is adding a $4 per day rental car fee.

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They estimate that the new fee could raise between $8 to $10 million a year.

“The additional revenue will support our ability to scale up quickly and make future investments in needed rental car-related infrastructure,” said Jones.

The parking garage is scheduled to open in two years just before the new concourse B comes online.

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