Mexico’s government on Wednesday unveiled the winning design for a new, futuristic, spider-shaped airport for the capital that will ease delays and boost capacity at a cost of 120 billion pesos ($9.17 billion) in public and private funding.
British architect Norman Foster and Fernando Romero, a son-in-law of Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, showcased their winning, airy design in the form of an X with arching spans at the presidential palace.
The new six-runway project will be built next to the Benito Juarez International Airport on the eastern flank of Mexico City, where the government already owns land.
“This airport is the first of its kind in the world,” Foster said. “It doesn’t have a conventional roof. It doesn’t have vertical walls. It doesn’t have columns in the normal sense.”
He cited challenges that include frequent earthquakes and the fact that the capital lies on a lake bed.
Telecoms and Transport Minister Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said he expected construction to start in mid-2015.
The government is in negotiations with U.S. engineering firm Parsons to take on the role of construction manager, he said.
Mexico’s government will finance the first stage of the new airport and aims to issue up to 30-year bonds to finance later stages, a senior project official said.
Federico Patino, financial director of the project, said it would be financed through 2016 using money from the government’s budget and two loans totaling up to $3 billion, and backed by earnings from the current airport.
The first loan is $1 billion from banks BBVA, HSBC , Grupo Financiero Inbursa and Citigroup and is set to close next month, Patino said.
After 2016, Mexico would seek to complement budget funds for the project with the issue of dollar-denominated 30-year bonds to the tune of $6 billion, he added.
Factoring in projects including construction management and water-related issues on the site will raise the overall cost of the airport to 169 billion pesos ($12.9 billion).
Ultimately the government hopes to boost capacity to 120 million passengers a year within 50 years.
Ruiz Esparza said that the current airport would close, with the land being used for university buildings and cargo.
The project follows an abortive bid to build a new airport near the chosen site under former President Vicente Fox. That effort met with violent protests in which demonstrators armed with machetes and Molotov cocktails took 19 officials hostage after the government initially offered locals around 70 cents per square meter for land. It was canceled in 2002.
Foster is one of the world’s most famous architects, and his practice, Foster + Partners, has designed dozens of high-profile projects around the world, including Beijing Airport and London’s Wembley Stadium.
His firm also designed a London office building later nicknamed “the Gherkin” for its rounded shape, which has become one of the city’s leading landmarks.
Romero is married to Soumaya Slim, a daughter of one of the world’s richest men, and is the head of FR-EE Fernando Romero Enterprise.
The firm designed Mexico City’s distinctive Museo Soumaya, which houses much of Slim’s personal art collection behind its sloping, silvery walls.
Slim, who controls Mexican telecoms giant America Movil , is behind a diversified empire that spans mining, banking and retail. Analysts say Slim’s Grupo Carso and builder ICA are likely to bid for construction contracts. (1 US dollar = 13.0997 Mexican peso) (Additional reporting by Dave Graham and Christine Murray; Editing by Simon Gardner, Cynthia Osterman, Dan Grebler, Lisa Shumaker and Gopakumar Warrier)
Trending News on PVDN
Popocatépetl Volcano Exhibits Increased Activity; Yellow Phase 3 Alert Continues PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - In the past 24 hours, heightened activity was recorded from Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano, with an alarming 315 exhalations detected, accompanied by water vapor, other volcanic gases, and ash, according to the Scientific Advisory Committee (CCA) of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC). Monitoring systems in place around the active stratovolcano also…
‘Kingdoms of Mexico’ Distinction Launches to Boost Tourist Destinations With European Influences Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - Miguel Torruco Marqués, the head of the Ministry of Tourism (Sectur), introduced the new 'Kingdoms of Mexico' distinction, a major initiative designed to enhance the appeal of Mexico's tourist communities on an international level. The announcement came during a presentation attended by the governors of Tlaxcala, Lorena Cuéllar Cisneros; Baja California,…
Shocking Case of Animal Abuse in Mexico: Man Throws Dog into Boiling Fry Oil PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A disturbing incident of animal abuse has sent shockwaves throughout Mexico, as a man allegedly threw a dog into a pot of boiling oil, resulting in the animal's tragic death. Authorities have detained the suspect for the assault on the dog and have issued an additional arrest warrant on charges of…
Puerto Vallarta Set to Celebrate 105th Anniversary as Municipality and 55th as a City with Grand Festivities PUERTO VALLARTA - The coastal paradise of Puerto Vallarta is poised to celebrate two landmark anniversaries: the 105th anniversary of its recognition as a municipality and the 55th anniversary of its elevation to city status, with a grand commemoration on May 31, 2023. The celebrations have been meticulously planned by the municipal government led by…
Popocatépetl Volcano Resumes Activity; Authorities Maintain Alert Status PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - After a period of relative calm last week, Mexico's Popocatépetl volcano resumed minor activity on Friday night and through Saturday night, as reported by the National Civil Protection Coordination (CNPC). This comes following significant explosions last weekend that put nearby communities on high alert. The resumed activity was characterized by minor…
Two More Puerto Vallarta Beaches Are Awarded Blue Flags Puerto Vallarta (PVDN) - In the upcoming 2023-2024 season, Puerto Vallarta is set to host six beaches awarded with the Blue Flag accreditation, an esteemed international recognition for high environmental and quality standards. The Blue Flag committee has reconfirmed the status for four previously certified beaches while conferring this prestigious title to two new beaches…
45 Bags of Human Remains Discovered in Jalisco PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - A chilling discovery of 45 bags filled with human remains in a deep ravine in the El Mirador del Bosque neighborhood of Zapopan has escalated the search for seven missing youths last seen at a local call center. The Jalisco Attorney General's Office confirmed late Wednesday that the gruesome discovery was…
SEAPAL Vallarta Launches New Vallarta II Tank to Reinforce Drinking Water Supply PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) - SEAPAL Vallarta, the local water management authority, announced the successful integration and activation of the new Vallarta II Tank to its drinking water distribution system on Tuesday, May 30. This strategic addition is expected to enhance the availability of water in Vallarta homes, a pressing issue in the wake of the…
LGBTIQ+ Community Member Disappears At Puerto Vallarta Pride PUERTO VALLARTA - A member of the local LGBTIQ+ community has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, inciting deep concern within the community and calls for immediate action from local authorities. Rubén Michel Castro Guizar, 32, a deaf individual, was last seen on the night of Thursday, May 25th, attending the Vallarta Pride march. His disappearance…
Investigation Continues Following Discovery of Skeletal Remains in Puerto Vallarta PUERTO VALLARTA (PVDN) – The mystery surrounding the discovery of skeletal remains in a rural area of Puerto Vallarta is yet to be resolved, according to State Prosecutor Luis Joaquín Méndez Ruiz. On his visit to Puerto Vallarta to participate in the Navy Day celebrations, the state prosecutor insisted the discovery is not a clandestine…
