Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson sets target to open new airport terminal in 5 to 7 years

Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson said he believes the long-planned expansion of the Pensacola International Airport terminal should be complete in five to seven years.

Fresh off trips to Washington, D.C., and Savanah, Georgia, Robinson told reporters on Monday during his weekly press conference that he is looking for ways to expedite the $70 million expansion of the terminal facilities at the city's airport.

"We definitely want to see air service continued to be expanded here," Robinson said.

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Robinson said after meeting with federal officials and discussing transportation needs for the city, he believes it's vital for the city to have a design in place for the new terminal to be able to access federal funding that will roll out over the coming years.

"There'll be money both at the federal and state areas, which is why we've got to get cracking," Robinson said.

The Pensacola International Airport has seen record-breaking travel numbers coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and officials have been in the early stages of planning an expansion.

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Earlier this month, the airport announced it has seen a 40% increase in passengers since 2021 and was on track to break that year's record of 2.3 million passengers.

Robinson said he believes the project should be complete in five to seven years and that design will begin later this year with initial funding coming from the state of Florida.

"That would be a fast approach," Robinson said. "I think we all want to move it fast."

Robinson, who will leave office in November, said he knows he won't be mayor when construction on the project begins, but said he will do everything he can as mayor now to move it along as quickly as possible.

"I'm not going to be here (in office), the next mayor is going to be here, but I'm going to continue to live here," Robinson said. "And travel service and flights and business and in all those things, having an airport and having an airport that can reach a number of different destinations is going to be critical to Pensacola going forward."

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Airport expansion targeted for 2027-2029 range