$100M Tweed Expansion Includes New Terminal, New Airline

NEW HAVEN, CT — Tweed New Haven Airport will undergo a $100 million expansion that will include a new terminal and new airline, Patch learned early Thursday. The project promises to bring 11,000 jobs and some $47 million in state and local tax revenue.

Airport operator Avports said it plans to build a "new, carbon neutral-terminal" that expands the existing runway for more direct flights to more destinations. Officials said there will be no cost to local taxpayers.

“This is an exciting day for New Haven, as we are now finally able to accomplish something that has alluded our city and its neighbors for too many years,” New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said. “From the moment ground is broken on this project, we’ll begin to feel real economic benefits, including the creation of good-paying jobs for local residents."

Avelo Airlines, which bills itself as the country's first new mainline airline in nearly 15 years, will make the airport its Northeast base. Starting this summer, the airline will operate three new direct flights out of Tweed; the destinations will be announced soon.

Elicker said that once the expansion is completed, "New Haven’s role as a destination city for people who do business in the region, and for tourists, will be even more solidified."

The East Haven connection

Access to the anticipated new terminal will be through Proto Drive to Hemingway Avenue in East Haven.

Runway expansion at Tweed has been a bone of contention for East Haven, but, as Mayor Joseph A. Carfora said, "since the courts have spoken" on the matter, the town wanted to ensure that it had a seat at the table.

"It was clear early in my administration that the courts had spoken with finality about the lengthening of the runaway, and this expansion; it was going to happen. As a result, I was direct, and crystal clear that that East Haven needed to be treated fairly, and that any expansion needed to protect and benefit East Haven taxpayers as well as East Haven businesses," Carfora said. "I am confident that this plan provides East Haven with protections, a sense of certainty, and that it will benefit our community in a way that previous iterations would not have."

“I think too often when this idea was discussed in the past, East Haven was an afterthought, but not anymore. Our town ensured that we were partners in this effort, and that the concerns of our community were not just heard, but addressed," Carfora said. "This agreement represents the opportunity for more jobs and more economic activity for the Town of East Haven, its residents, and its businesses — this will be a fair partnership from this point forward."

Carfora said he looks "forward to working with the airport, with Avports, and with our partners in New Haven as it progresses forward.”

Plan to spruce up existing terminal

Before the new terminal is built, Avelo will spend $1.2 million for improvements at the airport's existing west terminal, according to a news release.

“For years people have talked about expanding this airport to meet the needs of this region and now it’s finally coming to fruition,” Tweed Airport Authority director Sean Scanlon said. “This historic and exciting project is about more than just offering much-desired new flights and expanded service. This project is about generating significant economic activity in greater New Haven, creating thousands of paying local jobs and building one of the country’s first truly sustainable airports.”

Avports said it submitted an unsolicited proposal to the airport authority to "transform the airport via a modest runway extension and a new terminal, which together will provide improved passenger service to more destinations, greater passenger convenience, enhanced airport safety, environmental sustainability and carbon-neutrality, a diverse and inclusive local workforce and service providers, and significant economic and community benefit to the adjacent municipalities and region."

According to Avports, Tweed agreed to "negotiate a final agreement with Avports and not to entertain any other offers so long as the parties are in negotiations."

Saying it's "proud to be a long-term partner" with Tweed and neighboring communities, Avports CEO Jorge Roberts said the company is "confident that our decades of experience operating and developing regional airports will serve (Tweed New Haven Airport) and the community well."

Avports said in a news release that once the agreement is finalized, the plan will "require additional approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration as well as the New Haven Board of Alders, who (Tweed New Haven Airport) and Avports leadership have pledged to work closely with in the coming weeks."

Avports said the plan will make the airport "financially sustainable and eliminate the need for existing subsidies from the State of Connecticut and the City of New Haven, once a lease is finalized."

At the press conference announcing the plan, Gov. Ned Lamont, Sen. Chris Murphy, Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro shared remarks, with DeLauro noting the expansion is a "BFD."