Mayor Daley Announces O’Hare World Gateway Program
(CHICAGO) Feb 4, 1998 – Mayor Richard M. Daley today announced concepts for two new terminals at O'Hare International Airport as well as two federal inspection facilities to better serve domestic and international passengers.
"Today I'm announcing a new concept for the airport, one that represents a major step forward in preserving O'Hare's place as the premier airport in the United States and one of the best in the world," Mayor Daley said.
Terminal 4 is proposed to be built on the present site of O'Hare's Heating and Refrigeration Plant, east of Terminal 3. A more modern H&R Plant will be constructed at another airport location. Terminal 6 would be constructed east of O'Hare's Terminal 5. These proposed concepts could represent an investment of $1 billion or more and could create more than 20 new, wider gates to accommodate the airlines' newer, larger and quieter aircraft. The Mayor said his administration is committed to shaping the plans through an open, public process.
The Aviation Department estimates that once the plans are finalized, these projects could create at least 8,000 construction jobs. Several thousand more jobs could be created in the airline and travel industry.
"We must keep up with the competition. Just last month plans were unveiled for a new billion-dollar terminal at Kennedy International Airport in New York," Mayor Daley said. "Chicago will not be left behind."
Mayor Daley was joined by Chicago Aviation Department Commissioner Mary Rose Loney, United Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer James Goodwin, American Airlines Executive Vice President Robert Baker, Alitalia Station Manager Mario Bruno, and Laurie Stone, President and CEO of Greater O'Hare Association of Industry and Commerce.
"Just as O'Hare built our nation's only dual competitive airline hub, following deregulation of domestic aviation 21 years ago, we are now positioned to take advantage of 65 new foreign air treaties," Commissioner Loney said. "Last year, I said O'Hare was our nation's emerging international gateway. Today, we have arrived. The O'Hare World Gateway program will keep us there."
Mayor Daley also said that the City will remain strongly committed to working to improve the quality of life for communities surrounding O'Hare. In December, the Chicago Aviation Department and the Airlines committed funding to extend the residential and school sound insulation program beyond 1999, including sound insulating all eligible single-family, owner-occupied residences remaining in the 70 DNL noise contour, based on the year 2000 noise contour map.
The business community in the Northwest suburbs supports measures to ensure that O'Hare remains a world class airport, according to Laurie Stone of the Greater O'Hare Association. "Many of us live as well as work near O'Hare and we're sensitive to quality of life issues. We support the work of the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission and all that it has brought about in terms of dollars and cooperation from the City and the airlines. But, we also believe that we must maximize the economic potential of O'Hare and we're very enthusiastic about today's announcement."
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce strongly supports the O'Hare World Gateway Program. "As proven in the Chamber's Aviation Policy report that was released in November of last year, the Chicago Airport System is the economic engine for the region," said Jerry Roper, President and CEO of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. "In fact, O'Hare alone supports over 410,000 jobs and has an annual economic impact of more than $30 billion. This program will help those powerful economic development numbers continue to grow."
