Two more bids on Watertown Regional Airport terminal project approved (Audio)
July 7, 2021
Mike Tanner
WATERTOWN, S.D.–Two bids were approved Tuesday night by the Watertown City Council on the new airport terminal that’s under construction.
One bid, for $5.9 million went to J & J Earthworks. The other, for just under a million dollars, went to JBT AeroTech Corportation for the purchase and installation of a jet bridge at the new terminal. That allows passengers to avoid any weather elements when walking onto or exiting a plane.
The city went into this terminal project hoping to keep its share of the total cost around five million dollars.
City Engineer Heath VonEye says the two bids approved last night push the city share to about $5.4 million. But it’s still a moving target….
The new terminal will open in early 2022.
Watertown, as of July 1st, is being served by two commercial airlines–SkyWest and Denver Air Connection.
Airport Manager Todd Syhre was asked what’s the downside for a market the size of Watertown to have competing airlines….
New lease agreements with SkyWest and Denver Air Connection at the existing terminal were also approved at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Business has been picking up at the airport following the pandemic. Syhre says there were more than 1,600 passenger boardings in June.
