The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners has approved $400 million in private investment to construct a four-story cargo facility at Miami International Airport – the first of its kind in the Western Hemisphere.
When completed, it will increase the airport’s total cargo capacity by at least 50% or potentially up to two million tons annually. Scheduled for completion in 2029, the new facility will bring MIA’s total capacity to a minimum of 4.5 million tons of cargo and potentially 5 million tons, future-proofing the busiest US international freight airport until 2041. The airport is on pace for more than 2.9 million tons of cargo this year.
The Vertically Integrated Cargo Community (VICC) will be a 800,000sq ft facility on 11 acres of airport land. It is expected to create 2,500 new permanent and generate a minimum of $512 million in rent and business revenue to Miami-Dade County’s Aviation Department over the 40 years of the agreement.
The Board of County Commissioners approved a lease agreement with a private developer that will require at least 60% of the design and construction firms to be headquartered in Miami-Dade County, and for those firms to hire registered small businesses during all project phases.
VICC will have a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification and a silver certification from Global Infrastructure Basel under SuRe standards for sustainability and resiliency.
Miami-Dade County Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, said: “This is great news for our community and our economy. MIA is our largest economic engine, generating thousands of jobs for our residents and significant income for many of our leading industries, from tourism to small businesses.
“With the construction of this unprecedented, state-of-the-art air cargo facility now on track, the sky is the limit for where MIA can lead the air cargo industry globally after consecutive record-breaking years in cargo growth since 2020.”
Miami-Dade County Commissioner, Raquel Regalado, added: “For the past three and a half years, we have prioritized expanding our cargo capacity at MIA and ensuring reliable supply chain access for our residents. The VICC will significantly enhance our airport’s cargo capabilities and establish a new sustainable, resilient infrastructure benchmark. I am proud to support this visionary project, which will drive economic growth and solidify Miami-Dade’s position as a global hub for commerce.”