During Wednesday’s Board of Public Works meeting, Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman and Governor Wes Moore voted to approve a contract for Fraport Baltimore Partnership, LLC to develop, renovate, lease, and manage the retail, restaurant, and commercial services at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. Treasurer Davis voted against the measure after questioning Maryland Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Samantha Biddle about the procurement process.

According to the Maryland Department of Transportation, the lease would generate $39.4 million in revenue in its first full year of operations. Fraport has also committed to investing $31.5 million in capital improvements and would pay the state a 90% share of gross concession revenues. Comptroller Lierman expressed that Fraport’s selection represented the best option among the proposals.

 

“I am confident that several of the bidders could have rolled out a very successful BWI concessions program and we're lucky to have or be able as a state to choose from multiple able vendors,” she said.

 

Comptroller Lierman also noted the plan would generate needed revenue for the Maryland Aviation Administration and sales tax for the state, allow for new vendors within the airport’s forthcoming connector for the A/B concourses and would reduce the risk of current vendors leaving the airport.

 

“The plans are creative and inviting for Maryland visitors and those of us coming home or flying out. I just think remaining in a month-to-month contract means empty food and retail spaces in a brand-new concession space and that is a huge risk to the state. Nearly 30 million people travel through BWI annually, and it would not only be embarrassing not to have any concessions in a new space to offer travelers. But we would be losing millions of dollars in sales tax brought to us, often by people from other states. I appreciate the ACDBE [Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise] vendors who are there and have been patient and are waiting for us to get this done.”

 

On a Maryland Department of Natural Resources item, the board approved $3.6 million in Program Open Space funding for the first state park to be created in Wicomico County. The parcel is part of the Long Hill Property, a 445-acre 18th-century plantation listed on the National Registry of Historical Places along Wetipquin Creek.

 

In all, the BPW approved 70 items, representing a total State expenditure of $396,648,102.20. A comprehensive list of items approved are as follows:

 

• Grant agreements for six recipients for sox projects located in four counties and Baltimore City with a total value of $2,800,000.
• Six items awarding $16,407,421.71 to prime certified small business primes.
• Six items awarding $17,505,671.71 to certified minority business enterprise primes,
• 10 items awarded with established participation goals for minority business enterprises.
• Two items awarded with established participation goals for veteran-owned small business enterprises.

 

The next meeting of the Board of Public Works is February 26, 2025.