Lt. Gov. Antone attends Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for New Terminal at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway

Emma Hughes

Gila River Indian News

On Feb. 20, hundreds gathered at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport for a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new terminal, which officially opened for use on Feb. 21.

Federal, state, local officials, as well as business representatives celebrated the newest addition. The 30,000 square foot south concourse terminal, features five gates and is a collaboration with the Arizona Congressional Delegation, Arizona Governor and State Legislature, and the six communities that surround the area: Apache Junction, Gila River Indian Community, Queen Creek, Mesa, Gilbert and Phoenix.

“I thought it was really amazing because it’s similar to Sky Harbor, but way smaller,” said Lt. Gov. Regina Antone, “being smaller is more community; it’s more personal, it’s more customer service oriented and that’s kind of how we are in our community. It’s all about people and teamwork.”

Lt. Gov. Antone serves on the Board of Directors and was present for the opening ceremonies. The Board of Directors meet once a month to review all the projects.

She added, “A lot of them are coming to the end now and we’re getting new projects, which is really booming around here, which I’m excited because I don’t know if the community members know what has been going on out here and all of the economic development that’s happening out here.”

The $28 million project was made possible through a mix of funding sources including grants from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, FAA Airport Improvement Program, the State of Arizona, and contributions from the six Airport Member Communities.

2023 marked the busiest year in the history of the Airport, welcoming over 1.9 million passengers.

Congressman Ruben Gallego, who was present for the ribbon cutting, stated, “Arizona is booming, and the success of the Gateway Airport is a testament to that growth – helping Arizonans connect to colleagues and loved ones across the country.”