St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, the primary commercial airport for Clearwater-area travelers, has formally shelved its long-planned terminal expansion after costs ballooned past $200 million, pivoting instead to a $145 million modernization of the existing facility that will be funded without new taxpayer debt.

Airport Director Mark Sprague presented the rescoped plan to Pinellas County commissioners during a workshop the week of Aug. 4, according to St. Pete Rising. Commissioners are now scheduled to vote on the renovation contracts at a September board meeting.

"Rather than continue to move forward, we exercised due diligence and took the opportunity to stop and reassess the program," Sprague told commissioners.

The expansion had been in development since 2023 with an initial $110 million price tag. As engineers and architects advanced schematic designs, the estimate climbed past $200 million. After consultations with airport staff, the FAA and the TSA, leadership decided modernizing the aging terminal took priority over adding square footage.

What the $145M buys

The modernization covers 13 components: sewer and roof repairs, restroom upgrades, two replacement jet bridges, a fire-control-panel upgrade, new signage and columns, a south-side terminal wall, and renovations to rental-car counters, the baggage area and ticketing space. The project also adds four new jet bridges and a second level for baggage claim.

Funding comes from airport revenues, FAA grants and Florida Department of Transportation dollars.

PIE remains debt-free. In a March 2026 Bay News 9 profile, Sprague said the airport's debt-free status directly benefits travelers: "Those savings 100 percent go down to our customers. By keeping our costs low, the airlines can keep their costs low."

Construction is expected to begin in late 2028 and wrap up by 2032. The plan still includes roughly 40,000 square feet of strategic expansion, preserving flexibility for future growth.

Why it matters for travelers

PIE's current setup forces one gate door to serve three aircraft. Sprague said that creates turnaround times of 60 to 120 minutes per plane, compared with the 40-minute standard for ultra-low-cost carriers. The added jet bridges and modernized layout aim to fix that bottleneck.

The airport set a passenger record in 2025, serving 2,794,067 travelers (a 14% jump over 2024) according to PIE's 2025 annual report. A future full terminal expansion, separate from the current plan, could nearly double gate count from 12 to 22 and support up to 4.5 million passengers annually, but that phase depends on demand.

$60M parking garage on deck

Separately, PIE plans to break ground in January 2027 on a $60 million, four-story parking garage funded through airport revenues. The structure will replace the Strawberry PIE economy lot.

What's next

Commissioners will vote in September on the modernization contracts, amendments to existing agreements with Manhattan Construction Group and C&S Companies, and a new five-year Allegiant Air operating agreement projected to generate an additional $1.2 million in revenue in 2027. The exact September meeting date has not been announced.