Chicago’s mayor and the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) have announced one of the largest concessions bid opportunities in the history of US airports. Bids are being sought for more than one hundred new concession locations at Terminals 1 and 3 at O'Hare International Airport.
“Airport concessions offer opportunities to build generational wealth and create fantastic employment opportunities for Chicagoans of all ages,” CDA commissioner Jamie L Rhee said. “I want to encourage diverse firms of all sizes and backgrounds to participate in this competitive bid process and help us build the future of O’Hare with concessions that showcase the culture and hospitality of Chicago.”
The ORDerUp! RFP packages offered include opportunities for 112 individual concession locations — 75 food and beverage, 34 retail and three duty free locations — adding up to more than 146,000 sq ft of commercial real estate in Terminals 1 and 3. Of the available concessions space, 10% is reserved exclusively for small businesses, with additional incentives to encourage participation by small and diverse business owners in the remaining opportunities. The largest packages also include a commitment to operate an incubator programme at four prime airport locations, enabling small first-time businesses to enter the airport business environment.
The new concessions offerings throughout O’Hare will build upon CDA’s efforts to modernise O’Hare’s terminal core under O’Hare 21, Chicago’s vision to transform the airport into an efficient and accessible international gateway for the 21st century.
