Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and County Commissioner Raquel Regalado, District 7, announced that the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners had approved a minimum of $400 million in private investment to construct a four-story cargo facility at Miami International Airport that will be the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and, when completed, will increase the airport’s total cargo capacity by at least 50% or potentially up to two million tons annually. Scheduled for completion in 2029, the new facility will bring MIA’s total capacity to a minimum of 4.5 million tons of cargo and potentially 5 million tons, future-proofing America’s busiest international freight airport until the year 2041 and 11 years ahead of projections. Without this construction, MIA would begin to reach capacity at three million tons of cargo annually. The airport is on pace for more than 2.9 million tons of cargo this year.
«This is great news for our community and our economy. MIA is our largest economic engine, generating thousands of jobs for our residents and significant income for many of our leading industries, from tourism to small businesses. MIA continues to increase its ranks among U.S. airports and worldwide regarding cargo volume. With the construction of this unprecedented, state-of-the-art air cargo facility now on track, the sky is the limit for where MIA can lead the air cargo industry globally after consecutive record-breaking years in cargo growth since 2020» – Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
The future Vertically Integrated Cargo Community (VICC) at MIA, a nearly 800,000-square-foot facility on 11 acres of airport land, will have a massive local economic impact as well: 8,500 new temporary jobs earning a total of $500 million in wages during five years of design and construction; 2,500 new permanent jobs earning $100 million post-construction; and a minimum of $512 million in rent and business revenue to Miami-Dade County’s Aviation Department over the 40 years of the agreement.
«For the past three and a half years, we have prioritized expanding our cargo capacity at MIA and ensuring reliable supply chain access for our residents. Today’s investment is transformative for Miami-Dade County. The VICC will significantly enhance our airport’s cargo capabilities and establish a new sustainable, resilient infrastructure benchmark. I am proud to support this visionary project, which will drive economic growth and solidify Miami-Dade’s position as a global hub for commerce» – Raquel Regalado, Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 7…
