Minneapolis-St Paul rejects retail developer model

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The airport is likely to maintain its master concessionaire approach when it awards contracts this week

The Metropolitan Airports Commission is expected to resist pressure to switch to a concession developer model when it announces the final line-up of retail and catering awards at Minneapolis-St Paul International airport this week. Although several parties have suggested that the developer model - whereby tender winners would sublet individual stores - would be more profitable for the airport, the preferred bidders named last month suggest that the airport will retain a core of master concessionaires.

HMS Host was named preferred bidder for four out of seven catering contracts and its partnership with local firm CBR was favourite for seven out of eight retail contracts, including for a 2,000sq ft duty-free store.

According to local news service Workday Minnesota, the commission accepted that a developer model could lead to job losses and may not necessarily lead to greater revenues for the airport.