Dignitaries gather to ‘top out’ international terminal
By A.B. Snedeker

Atlanta’s new global gateway is one step closer as the final piece of structural steel was placed into the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal on April 13.

Mayor Kasim Reed and Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson joined Hartsfield-Jackson Aviation General Manager Ben DeCosta and others for the “topping out” of the 1.2 million-square-foot international terminal. More than 100 guests signed their names on the final structural steel beam before a crane hoisted it into place.

“The Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal represents economic stimulus, sound fiscal management, a focus on efficiency and customer-friendly design,” DeCosta said. “But most importantly, this facility represents a forward-thinking investment in the future of international travel into and out of metro Atlanta.”

DeCosta’s comments were followed by remarks from Reed and Anderson. Both spoke of the international terminal’s importance.

“The construction of the Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal continues the Airport’s dominance as the No. 1 passenger airport,” Reed said. “This international terminal creates opportunities for business with many other countries and creates countless jobs in the city of Atlanta — not just maintenance and warehouse jobs, but jobs for entrepreneurs and small-business owners.”

Other speakers at the event were Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Kenneth Stewart; Valerie Jackson, radio personality and widow of the former mayor for whom the international terminal is named; and Dan Molloy, Hartsfield-Jackson assistant general manager for capital development.

Construction of the international terminal began in summer 2008 and is scheduled to be complete in spring 2012. The international terminal will have 12 gates, nine security checkpoint lanes for international departing passengers and six recheck lanes for domestic connecting passengers. It will eliminate the need for Atlanta-bound international passengers to recheck their baggage after they clear customs.

Photos from the event and other photos of the construction of the international terminal are available on the Airport’s Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/hartsfield-jackson.