Board of Legislators expected to decide, by December, which company
will run the airport
WHITE PLAINS – Three airport operating companies have responded to a request for proposals to manage and operate Westchester County Airport as part of a public-private partnership.
An FAA program allows profits from airport operations to be used for public purposes such as parks, public safety, roads and social services.
The next step is for the county’s Airport Task Force to review the proposals. A lease agreement would then be negotiated with the company deemed to have the best proposal, which would them go before the county board of legislators. That vote is expected to take place by the end of the year with 12 votes needed for approval.
“I’m confident that our initiative will result in a revitalization of Westchester County Airport that benefits taxpayers, enhances the experiences of passengers, and protects the character of the surrounding communities,” said County Executive Robert Astorino. “This is about smart government working to position a vital county asset for a strong future.”
The three responding companies:
FerroStar Westchester Airport Partners is a consortium comprised of Ferrovial Airports International and Star America Fund GP. Ferrovial, based in Spain, is an international company that specializes in construction, infrastructure, and airports, and Star America is a New York-based infrastructure asset manager that has financed, underwritten and managed over 45 infrastructure projects valued at over $60 billion.
HPN Aviation Group is a joint-venture between Oaktree Transportation Infrastructure and Connor Capital Transportation Opportunities. Oaktree is based in Los Angeles and its global clients include 75 of the 100 largest U.S. pension plans, over 400 corporations around the world, over 350 endowments and foundations globally, 16 sovereign wealth funds and 38 of the 50 primary state retirement plans in the United States. Connor Capital is a private investment partnership focused on investing in transportation and transportation-related companies. Since 2013, it has operated Luis Munoz Marin International Airport outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and also created a 50-year partnership for the Seagirt Marine Terminal in Baltimore, MD, the primary port serving Washington, D.C.
MIC Airports, LLC, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation, which owns, operates and invests in a portfolio of infrastructure businesses. The Manhattan-based company consists of an airport services business, a gas processing and distribution business, and a portfolio of contracted power and energy investments that includes ownership of gas-fired and controlling interests in wind and solar power facilities in the U.S. Macquarie owns Atlantic Aviation, an operator of more than 60 fixed-based operators including locations at Stewart International and Teterboro airports. It also has ownership and management interests throughout the world, including at Brussels Airport, Copenhagen Airport and Delhi Airport.
