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The Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate Team has been recommended by the KCI Selection Committee as its preferred partner to privately finance, design, and build a new single terminal at Kansas City International Airport.

Led by developer Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, the team also includes equity investor Meridiam Infrastructure, and a design-build joint venture comprised of Clark Construction Group, Kansas City-based contractor Clarkson Construction, and The Weitz Company.  Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) will serve as the lead architect, and Project Finance Advisory Limited (PFAL) will be the financial advisor.

The selection of Edgemoor comes after a multi-step procurement process that included separate qualifications-based and financing-based submissions, an interview, and follow-up questions posed by the City to all the proposers. The committee recommended Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate over other teams led by AECOM, Jones Lang LaSalle and Burns & McDonnell.

The Burns & McDonnell team is pushing back on the City’s disqualification of its proposal. The committee members disqualified the team claiming its financial proposal is inconsistent with the City’s Master Bond Ordinance (MBO). Burns & McDonnell has disputed that claim and stated the proposal met the City’s requirements.

As we reported in mid May, Burns & McDonnell submitted a proposal to partner with Kansas City and lead a team of private investors, such as Americo Life, Inc.  to privately finance the project. 

AECOM had no comment after the recommendation.

The project involves the design, build and finance of a new one-terminal international airport. The airport scheme comprises of a 750,000-square-foot terminal with 35 gates but expandable to 42, and a parking garage with at least 6,500 spaces. The total investment for the project amounts to US$1 billion.

Bill Clarkson, President of Clarkson Construction and member of the Edgemoor Team, said:

“We believe that Edgemoor offers Kansas City and its citizens the most flexible solution for design and financing, provides the greatest value, and will deliver a new terminal for Kansas City that reflects the community’s involvement and input.”