WINTER 2023┃19 “When this program started, we had not leased any of the 39 gates to a specific airline,” he continues. “Once United and Southwest signed their leases, all the internal runs, systems, and hardware like apron doors had to be modified to their specific operational standards. This is everything from the fuel lines and fire hydrants to the holding room in the course where passengers wait to board.” Williams is also very proud of the program’s efforts to meet and beat the expectations of the City and County of Denver’s Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) goals. “An equitable distribution of our community investment is also very important to DEN,” says Williams. “Here, both design teams and both construction teams exceeded their required M/WBE participation, and the program management team nearly doubled theirs. So, it’s a win-win for area businesses.” With a suite of five more gates to deliver for Frontier’s expansion, Williams knows there is still more to do at DEN near-term. Long-term the airport is expected to push past 70 million annual enplanements in 2023 toward the grand vision on the horizon. “The new concourses are light and bright and very passenger friendly,” he finishes. “The architecture is spectacular. The variety of seating styles, a decluttered wayfinding system, and spacious restrooms with stalls designed to accommodate travel bags improve the passenger experience. As does direct access to the best of Colorado on the three outdoor decks. The concourse expansion program is a major step in the Vision 100 objective. Everyone involved is very proud of what has been accomplished so far.” Vision 100 Taking a long view, DEN expands significantly
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