Advertisement KC to 'press pause' on airport talks for now, mayor says Polling indicated low support for single-terminal plan Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Kansas City will not ask voters to decide on a single-terminal plan for Kansas City International Airport any time soon, Mayor Sly James said Tuesday.The city’s internal polling indicated there was a lack of support for the single-terminal plan among Kansas City residents. James said a survey of 800 people indicated that less than 40 percent were inclined to vote for the new airport right now.Any significant change to the airport requires approval of Kansas City voters.“We heard residents. This is not the time. We’re pressing pause on airport discussions,” James said in a tweet.The city’s Aviation Department has indicated its support for a single-terminal airport to replace KCI’s existing horseshoe terminal model. The existing airport needs extensive renovations and repairs and many have said a new airport would be cheaper than fixing up the old one.Proponents of a single-terminal plan said it would allow more space for restaurants and businesses within the security zone and would save money by having fewer security checkpoints. Opponents said they like the convenience of KCI’s current design, which allows passengers to walk from the plane to baggage claim to ground transportation in just a few steps.The airlines serving KCI have endorsed the idea for a single terminal.Kansas City Councilwoman Teresa Loar, a vocal critic of the single-terminal plan, said the poll numbers didn't surprise her."I think the radical change of tearing down the terminal was a little too much for the citizens," she said.James said many Kansas Citians said in the poll that they liked the convenience of the current airport design and didn't want it to change. He said there was no point in starting a citywide argument over the issue, especially with the issue likely failing at the polls this year."It's most important that we continue to work together and that we continue to to work together in order to gain the other priorities that we have to accomplish," he said.He said it's possible the airport issue might resurface during his second term as mayor, but it might not.