Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and Commissioner Raquel Regalado have announced the approval of a $400+ million Vertically Integrated Cargo Community at Miami International Airport.
On Tuesday (July 16, 2024), Miami-Dade County Mayo Daniella Levine Cava and Commissioner Raquel Regalado announced the approval of a new 400+ million cargo facility at Miami International Airport (MIA). The new four-story Vertically Integrated Cargo Community (VICC) will be the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, and once completed will increase the airport’s total capacity by at least 50 percent, or up to two million tons annually. With a scheduled completion date of 2029, the new facility will expand MIA’s cargo capacity from 4.5 to 5.0 million tons annually, meeting the needs of America’s busiest cargo airport until 2041. Without this expansion, MIA would begin to reach a maximum capacity of 3.0 million tons annually, and is on pace to reach 2.9 million tons in 2024.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Miami-Dade County Airport’s Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, said,
“This is great news for our community and our economy. MIA is our largest economic engine, generating thousands of jobs for our residents and significant income for many of our leading industries, from tourism to small businesses. MIA continues to increase its ranks among U.S. airports and worldwide regarding cargo volume. With the construction of this unprecedented, state-of-the-art air cargo facility now on track, the sky is the limit for where MIA can lead the air cargo industry globally after consecutive record-breaking years in cargo growth since 2020.”
Also commenting on MIA’s cargo capability expansion, Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7, Raquel Regalado, said,
“For the past three and a half years, we have prioritized expanding our cargo capacity at MIA and ensuring reliable supply chain access for our residents. Today’s investment is transformative for Miami-Dade County. The VICC will significantly enhance our airport’s cargo capabilities and establish a new sustainable, resilient infrastructure benchmark. I am proud to support this visionary project, which will drive economic growth and solidify Miami-Dade’s position as a global hub for commerce.”
Miami International Airport’s Director and CEO, Ralph Cutié, added,
“The VICC is one of the many historic investments being made at MIA to modernize and transform every facet of our operations, including everything from maintenance upgrades and renovations in our terminal to the construction of a new parking garage, four-star hotel, and expanded concourses. In total, nearly $9 billion in capital improvements and upgrades are scheduled for completion over the next ten years, to elevate MIA’s position among the premier airports in the world.”
Presenting Phase 1 of Miami International Airport's New Vertically Integrated Cargo Community (VICC) - Courtesy Miami International Airport
MIA’s future nearly 800,000 square-foot VICC facility on eight acres of airport land is expected to deliver a massive local economic impact with 8,500 new temporary jobs earning $500 million in wages over five years of design and construction, 2,500 new post-construction jobs earning $100 million in wages, and at least $512 million in rent and business revenue to Miami-Dade County’s Aviation Department over the 40 years of the agreement. The approved lease with a private developer requires that at least 60 percent of the design and construction firms are based in Miami-Dade County, and for those firms to hire registered small businesses during all project phases. Additionally, the sustainable and environmentally-friendly facility will achieve a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, and a silver certification from Global Infrastructure Basel under SuRe standards for sustainability and resiliency.
Source: Miami International Airport