This morning, Wednesday, June 8, the Gary/Chicago International Airport (GCIA) announced a previously planned restructuring of their management and development activities. GCIA will re-assume the management, operations, and development of the airport from Avports and AFCO. This restructuring is supported by the work of Avports and AFCO, who entered into agreements to assist the airport in evolving a broader range of aviation-related offerings that included Avports instituting best practices in airport management and sharing its insights on leveraging GYY’s locational attributes. After years of sustained growth in the airport’s operations and added infrastructure offerings under the agreements, GCIA is now positioned to independently advance the growth of GYY.
“We are pleased to be able to exit these agreements with much more robust aviation-centric infrastructure, operations and facilities in place, allowing GCIA to strongly position itself for the coming years,” said GCIA Board Authority Chairman Pete Visclosky. “Years of sustained growth and investment by public and private entities alike have created strong momentum allowing the airport to move towards its long-standing objective of a locally sustainable airport, and we thank both Avports and AFCO for their contributions over the past few years to our continued success.”
Over the past decade, GCIA has experienced significant growth and investment, well-positioning the premier mid-sized airport to capitalize on its proximity to Chicago and enhance its position as Chicago’s 3rd official airport. The airport located just 25 miles – typically less than 35 minutes – from Chicago’s downtown “Loop” offers unique amenities for both general aviation and cargo service operations, two critical sectors that have continued to fuel the airports growth.
“Avports is proud to have put GCIA into a position to control their own destiny and success,” said Avports CEO Jorge Roberts. “As GCIA takes steps toward their next phase of progress, Avports remains committed to providing the highest level of service during the upcoming transition.”
“We are pleased to have contributed to GCIA’s growth and development and wish them continued success,” said AFCO CEO Chuck Stipancic.
In 2015, the airport’s main runway was expanded to nearly 9,000 feet in length and is now the region’s 2nd longest after O’Hare International Airport. This allows the airport to service aircraft up to and including a 777, one of the world's largest aircrafts. 2018 saw the completion of its state-of-the-art U.S. Customs Facility, allowing air travelers to access the airport without needing to clear customs at another location. Further enhancements have included multiple new terminals and hangers for GCIA’s Fixed-Base-Operators, and in 2020 cargo service giant United Parcel Service (UPS) began cargo service operations. In early 2022, the airport completed a multi-year effort to update its Master Plan, which will assist GCIA and its board in guiding the next 20-25 years of airport development and aviation growth.
