CLEVELAND — Cleveland Hopkins International Airport welcomed nearly 800 contractors, consultants, suppliers, and industry partners to "CLEvolution" Industry Day 2.0 on Tuesday, Oct. 13, highlighting continued momentum behind the plan to reimagine the guest experience at Ohio's busiest passenger airport.
Building on the success of the inaugural Industry Day, this year's event gave attendees a look at future plans, updated project milestones, and upcoming procurement opportunities for contractors, consultants, and other firms. The event also offered guidance on inclusive participation and resources available to local and diverse businesses, along with networking opportunities to connect prime firms, specialty firms, and potential partners.
"Industry Day 2.0 reflects the incredible interest and enthusiasm surrounding the future of CLE," said Bryant L. Francis, director of Port Control, in a news release. "The continued engagement from both local and national industry partners demonstrates the shared commitment to advancing a transformation that will serve our community for generations."
Francis also shared updates on where the broader modernization effort stands.
"We're really excited about where we are and where we're going," Francis told News 5. "We continue talking with our airline partners about going beyond with an airside program, so a transition to improved facilities on the concourse side."
Officials shared updates on "CLEvolution" projects and outlined next steps. Representatives from the Office of Equal Opportunity also discussed participation requirements and resources for local, small, minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises.
Upcoming projects include new parking facilities, transit improvements, and a new terminal entrance. The Gold Lot, currently under construction, will have 1,600 parking spaces and is set to open in the spring of 2027. Once it opens, the Orange Lot will close to make way for a new 6,000-space parking lot.
All construction is expected to continue through 2032.
Businesses interested in future opportunities are encouraged to monitor procurement announcements through the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport website, the "CLEvolution" website, and OpenGov, where vendors can register for solicitation notifications.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
