The new Ground Transportation Center will accommodate nine car rental brands and free up parking at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport parking lot.
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport continues to see progress on a major expansion, inking a new deal for its planned Ground Transportation Center.
The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority announced Monday that it officially closed on a $299 million deal with Renton, Washington-based Conrac Solutions on Thursday.
Conrac Solutions is a subsidiary of sustainable infrastructure asset manager Meridiam and specializes in consolidated rental car facilities for airports. Conrac facility locations include San Francisco International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, San Diego International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport.
Daren Griffin, president and CEO of the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority, called the private-public agreement an “unprecedented” partnership for Reno-Tahoe International.
“This collaboration is a significant $299 million private sector investment, marking a historic moment for our region,” Griffin said. “Conrac Solutions’ proven track record in developing innovative ConRAC facilities aligns with our vision for revolutionizing ground transportation at RNO.”
What will Reno-Tahoe International Airport’s new Ground Transportation Center include?
The planned Ground Transportation Center at Reno-Tahoe International Airport will be four floors high and comprise 440,220 square feet of total space.
The new facility will accommodate nine car rental company brands as part of a ground lease agreement. The Reno airport’s new Ground Transportation Center will also have:
- Six car washes
- Three maintenance bays
- 24 fuel positions
- Vehicle storage
Access to the Ground Transportation Center will be available through a covered pedestrian walkway connected to the terminal.
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport’s new Ground Transportation Center is expected to be completed in 2028.
Why is Reno-Tahoe International Airport building a new Ground Transportation Center?
First announced in 2022 as part of the Reno airport’s billion-dollar MoreRNO expansion, the new Ground Transportation Center is meant to help alleviate parking issues at Reno-Tahoe International.
Rental car facilities currently share space with other customers at the airport’s main parking garage, which has reached full capacity several times during peak travel days such as holidays.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport ran out of parking for the first in October 2019, causing airport officials to urge passengers to get a ride to the airport instead. The Reno airport also launched a parking availability tracker in 2021 to inform customers about the status of its parking garage, especially during busy days.
The airport approved planning for its MoreRNO project in 2022, which included a recent expansion of its ticketing hall, road improvements and the addition of two new concourses.
The MoreRNO project is expected to cost a billion dollars, which the airport is securing through bonds, a $4.50 airport fee, grants, public-private partnerships and other financing avenues.
“We are working on all fronts to secure funding,” Griffin told the Reno Gazette Journal in April.
“The funding will come from a number of different buckets and we’re working hard with our finance team.”
Raising a billion dollars is admittedly a challenge, according to Griffin. But expanding the now “vastly undersized” airport is necessary to accommodate current and future growth, Griffin added.
“(The funding is) never enough,” Griffin said. “But we’re really getting the house in order and excited to get the projects to fit what we can actually afford.”
