Four vie for Fort Lauderdale news and gifts concession

Gavin Lipsith

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Hudson Group, Areas, HMSHost and Paradies Shops are competing at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport in Florida

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood airport’s request for proposals for its news and gifts contract has attracted four major competitors, reports the Miami Herald. Hudson Group, Spanish firm Areas, Autogrill subsidiary and incumbent Paradies Shops are all interested in the contract, which covers the majority of shops in all four terminals and may be shared between two parties.

Areas has proposed to bring concepts including: News Express, a news and sundry kiosk; Broward Beaches Resortwear; Pink Iguana, a ladies' boutique; Blue Wave, which carries beach-themed merchandise; and Crocs, selling shoes, fashion and accessories.

HMSHost would offer concepts including Tropical News

Express, Paradise News, Las Olas News, Boca News Connection and Fox News Channel, as well as Ron Jon Surf Shop, Destination Fort Lauderdale, Bijoux Terner, Little Havana to Go and Sunglass Icon.

Paradies has operated at the airport since 1984, with passenger traffic growing from 6.4m then to 22.4m last year. If reappointed the company said it would expand concepts such as Fort Lauderdale Harley Davidson/Brooks Brothers-Women/A1Av Travel Mart, offering Harley-Davidson merchandise, Brooks Brothers' women's collection and news items; A Day at the Ocean/Ocean View Travel Mart/Details, with beach items, news items and ladies' accessories; Healthy!, offering healthy snacks; and Island Breeze, featuring Tommy Bahama.

Hudson and its partners, trading under the AMS South Florida name, would operate Hudson News, CNN Newstand Fort Lauderdale, Newslink Fort Lauderdale and specialty stores KidsWorks, Discovery Channel Airport Store, Life is Good, Vera Bradley, Sunglass Hut and Discover Fort Lauderdale.

A selection committee composed of Broward County's nine commissioners and three Broward County staff members will determine a short list to present to the county commission after hearing presentations. The airport hopes to have an agreement go to the commission for approval by March or April.