South Bend Regional Airport finishes terminal

Gone is the gray box of a terminal, with its food provided by vending machines and its entertainment by a Ms. Pac-Man video game.

In its place at the South Bend Regional Airport, which opened its soon-to-be-finished terminal to the public on Wednesday, is a cavernous light-filled space that looks and feels like a wing of a major metropolitan airport.

Although air travelers have been using parts of the new terminal for more than a year, Wednesday marked the end of the third and final phase of construction for the 27-month-long project.

Now travelers will enter through a large, well-lighted space that houses the Transportation Security Administration's security checkpoint and into the new terminal - erasing the need for the temporary plywood walkway that connected passengers to the terminal since last year.

Some small finishing touches are still needed in the new concourse - the business center is still under construction, a water feature has yet to be installed. But many of larger features, like a restaurant and bar, a kids play area and a concourse gift shop have already become a part of the South Bend flying experience.

"It's wonderful to see what we accomplished here," said John Schalliol, the executive director of the South Bend Regional Airport since 1981, on Wednesday, as he introduced the media to the nearly finished project.

No details, staff members say, have been left up to chance.

The flat screen TVs are programmed on an even split of CNN and Fox News, to cater to the news needs of both sides of the political spectrum.

The soon-to-be-installed water feature will also serve as a humidity control in the concourse.

The business center TV features pitches about the region's development possibilities.

Schalliol, who is set to retire at the end of the month, said the $14 million project has been one of the most complicated of his career. But he said it positions the airport and South Bend to continue to thrive long after he's gone.

"Will it bring more airlines?" Schalliol asked rhetorically. "Probably not, but it can help us attract more passengers."

And passenger numbers, Schalliol said, help the airport stay competitive in attracting transportation funding.

"We hope it provides a better traveling experience for people coming in and out of South Bend," Schalliol said. "I think it already has."

Staff writer Dave Stephens: [email protected] 574-235-6209

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