The idea of making the Great Hall at DIA a more useful place than just security checkpoints and rental car counters is an intriguing one, but this story leaves a lot of questions unanswered. In particular, if they want to get the TSA out of there — where the hell are those lines going to go?
I actually find airport security at DIA to be one of the least-bad setups of any of the airports I travel to. That's largely because they had a huge amount of space to work with, rather than cramming the lines and machines into pre-existing walls, and they've used that space voraciously. (Having all that space above you also makes queuing up feel a lot less claustrophobic and crowded). But on the assumption that we're still going to be taking our shoes off and laptops out, where is would we be doing that now? Can they clear out space on the same level as the trains to cram the lines down there? And how will that improve the traveling experience at DIA.
Also, yeah, how much is that going to cost? Because they've spent a fair amount making the current setup pretty permanent-looking.
Also, who's going to be using this new "commerce" area? Guests at the Westin? They need more than that. People arriving to fly out? They just walk on by to get through security and out to the terminals. People taking the train from downtown? Why would they bother?
This just all smacks of someone feeling compelled, SimCity-like, to tear down a lot of not-so-old stuff just so that they can feel like they're being busy and can add some lines to their resume.
DIA seeks to redevelop Jeppesen Terminal’s Great Hall for commerce
Denver International Airport is again exploring giving the Transportation Security Administration’s massive security checkpoint operations the boot from
Well, its obvious they need more space for all the marijuana oriented tchotchkies.
sigh Long over are the days when families used to go out to the airport just to watch the planes take off and land. Can remember doing that when I was growing up.
You know, my parents live in Denver, and we frequently have layovers there. It would be nice to have some place to meet up with them that wouldn't require me to go through security again (or maybe someplace where I could go back through an expedited line).
+Brittany Constable Well that's the problem — they can't come through security without a boarding pass, and you don't want to exit security and go back in, and the security people aren't going to do any sort of "expedited line" that keeps them from running you through the pornoscanner and rifling through your bag.
So the outer reaches of the airport, outside the security zone, become a place for folk to wait for arrivals, or (if made attractive enough) maybe a place for people who get to the airport really early to eat or shop.
+Brittany Constable What neck of the woods, by the way?
+Dave Hill Monument. So not super close to the airport, but I think they'd make the drive for a quick visit if there were a reasonable way to do so.
+Brittany Constable Until non-ticket holders are allowed anywhere near the gates, I just don't see how it can work. Because FREEDOM!