QC Airport Celebrates Completion of Project GATEWAY Phase 1
March 31, 2025
Quad Cities International Airport (QC Airport) proudly marked a significant milestone today with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the first phase of Project GATEWAY. This transformative renovation initiative began modernizing key areas of the terminal, enhancing safety, efficiency and the overall passenger experience. The airport partnered with Mortenson as the construction manager at risk (Iowa City), and Alliiance for design and architecture (Minneapolis).
“Today marks an exciting step forward in our commitment to providing a more modern, efficient, and passenger-friendly airport,” said Benjamin Leischner, A.A.E., executive director, Quad Cities International Airport. “With the completion of phase one, we’ve significantly improved baggage handling and ticketing operations, ensuring a smoother experience for travelers. We’re eager to build on this momentum as we move into future phases, bringing even more enhancements to QC Airport.”
Project GATEWAY’s first phase focused on critical improvements to baggage screening and handling which included relocating security screening equipment from the ticketing lobby to a newly constructed 14,600-square-foot baggage handling facility. The new facility houses an updated conveyor belt system that improves both efficiency and safety for airport staff and travelers alike. Additionally, airline ticket counters were updated for the first time since 1985.
Project GATEWAY is funded through a combination of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airport entitlement funds and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funding, as well as airport capital. The airport has been allocated $2.8 million per year for five years through BIL, helping to cover a majority of the $18 million cost of this phase without increasing airline rates and charges.
“The successful completion of the initial phase of Project Gateway was a testament to the exceptional collaboration between airport operations and Mortenson’s on-site team,” said Randy Clarahan, market executive, Mortenson. “This achievement was driven by the dedication and expertise of our craft labor force—97% of whom are proud members of the Quad Cities community. Their commitment to safety, efficiency, and excellence ensured the project remained on-time, on-budget, and executed without any safety incidents.”
The improvements were carefully phased to minimize disruptions to passengers. The construction team first renovated half of the ticketing lobby before shifting work to the opposite side, ensuring airline operations continued smoothly throughout the process
Future phases of Project GATEWAY will continue to enhance the airport’s functionality and passenger experience. Upcoming improvements include replacing the aging brick flooring, adding a curbside canopy for weather protection, updating restrooms to include companion care facilities and nursing rooms, relocating public meeting spaces for better accessibility and creating an indoor/outdoor observation area for travelers and visitors.
As QC Airport looks ahead to the next phases of Project GATEWAY, today’s ribbon-cutting serves as a moment of celebration and progress, reaffirming the airport’s commitment to serving the Quad Cities community with modern, efficient and welcoming facilities.
For more information on Project GATEWAY, visit https://www.qcairport.com/project-gateway/.
Project GATEWAY Phase One By the Numbers
Precast Panels
- 144 yards of concrete used to fabricate structural pre-cast concrete walls
Radiant Floor Heat
- 17,500 linear feet of tubing embedded in concrete
- 250 gallons of glycol used as heating solution
Demolition
- Over 3 million pounds of concrete removed from site
Structural Steel
- 31 tons of structural steel installed
Subcontractors and Economic Impact
- 15 total subcontractors/suppliers on the project
- 11 from the Quad City area
- 2 from Iowa/Illinois
- 2 from outside Iowa/Illinois
- Total subcontract value: $9,022,893
- $6,460,094 went to local QC area contractors/suppliers
Labor Hours
- A total of 26,316 labor hours have been performed on the project, all skilled trades
- Of that 25,445 were performed by local QC area trades