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Link to original content: https://web.archive.org/web/20070301010553/http://www.mspairport.com/mac/organization/history.aspx
MSPAirport.com - Metropolitan Airports Commission - MAC History and Mission
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Metropolitan Airports Commission

History and Mission

A PIONEER IN AIR TRANSPORTATION

Nearly a century ago the seeds were planted for what has become Minneapolis-St.Paul International Airport (MSP). Over the years, MSP has earned a reputation as one of the safest, most convenient and efficiently run airports in the world. Many milestones and innovations have contributed to MSP's reputation.         

        History

  • In 1914, Snelling Speedway sat where MSP currently operates.  The auto-racing venue was unsuccessful, and the Minneapolis Aero Club acquired the property for loftier purposes.
  • The first hangar, a wooden structure, was constructed in 1920 to accommodate airmail service, and the 160-acre property became known as Speedway Field. In 1923, the airport was renamed Wold-Chamberlain Field in honor of two local pilots, Ernest Wold and Cyrus Chamberlain, who lost their lives in combat during World War I.
  • The airport soon became home to historic Northwest aircraft and personnelNorthwest Airways, which in 1926 won the government's airmail contract and acquired the airport's only hangar. 
  • In its 80-year history, MSP has undergone numerous changes, from the first landing strip in 1920, to its first passenger service in 1929 and massive reconstruction efforts in the early 1960s, including construction of the Lindbergh Terminal, a maintenance base and Northwest Airlines' world headquarters.
  • Perhaps the most influential and innovative change came in 1943, when state lawmakers created the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC)  to promote air transportation and commerce in a seven-county region. In the middle of WWII, lawmakers recognized airplanes represented the future of transportation and wanted to make the Twin Cities the aviation leader for the Upper Midwest.  Also, they wanted to discourage costly competition for air service between Minneapolis and St. Paul and instead to take a regional approach to air service development.  The MAC serves the region by providing and promoting safe, convenient, environmentally sound, cost-competitive aviation services.  In this role, the MAC helps make the region a strong force in the global economy.
  • A public corporation, the MAC was the first metropolitan agency created by the Legislature. The Minnesota governor appoints a chair and 12 commissioners. The mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul each appoint another, bringing the total commission body to 15. Commissioners serve four-year terms.
  • With the arrival of international service, MSP underwent its final name change in 1948, becoming Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
  • In 1958, ground breaking ceremonies were held for the Lindbergh Terminal. The Lindbergh terminal opened to the public in 1962. It was designed to serve four million passengers a year by 1975. Passenger growth far exceeded projections, however, with more than 4.1 million people using the airport by 1967.
  • Passenger growth continued to exceed expectations in the 1970s and 1980s. To address this growth, the Minnesota legislature passed the Metropolitan Airport Planning Act in 1989, establishing the Dual Track Airport Planning Process. Conducted by the Metropolitan Airports Commission and the Metropolitan Council, the seven-year planning process explored options for providing needed air service capacity and facilities for the region.  Specifically, competing plans were developed to either expand MSP at its present site or build a new airport elsewhere.
  • Upon completion of the study in 1996, the historic plop planeMinnesota Legislature directed the Metropolitan Airports Commission to implement the MSP 2010 Long-Term Comprehensive Plan, providing for $2.7 billion in airport improvements at the current site.
  • Virtually every aspect of MSP has been transformed in the intervening years, with a major expansion of the Lindbergh Terminal, a new Humphrey Terminal, expanded roadways and parking, two automated airport trams, and development of a metropolitan light rail system connecting both MSP terminals to the Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis.
  • With the final major aspect of the 2010 program, a new fourth runway, opened in October 2005, the Metropolitan Airports Commission has begun again to look toward the future and to develop plans for a 2020 expansion effort.    

        MAC's Mission

  • We provide and promote safe, convenient, environmentally sound and cost-competitive aviation services for our customers       

        MSP Ranking

  • In 2006, MSP served 35.6 million passengers and accommodated 475,656 landings and takeoffs.  MSP ranks 10th in North America for the number of travelers serviced and is the 12th busiest airfield in the United States.  MSP is expected to serve 55 million passengers annually by the year 2020, creating a need for further airport expansion.
  • MSP's 3,400 acres arguably comprise the most valuable economic generator between the St. Croix River and Seattle, supporting more than 150,000 jobs, $10.7 billion in business revenue, $6 billion in personal income, $1.3 billion in local purchases and $626 million in state and local taxes.
  • The International Air Transport Association's annual customer surveys and now their successor AETRA surveys have repeatedly ranked MSP among the best large airports in North America and the world for customer satisfaction. In 2005, Skytrax also named MSP the Best Airport in North America. The airport and its leadership have received various awards in numerous categories, including safety, fiscal management, labor relations, legal oversight, snow and ice control, concessions, airport design and development, and marketing and communications.

        Funding

  • MAC funding comes from concessions revenues, lease agreements, airline fees, passenger facility charges, federal grants and bond sales.
  • Unlike other public organizations, the Metropolitan Airports Commission receives no operations funding from state or federal income, sales or property taxes.
  • In 2005, about 40 percent of revenues come from airline rates and charges, 40 percent from parking and concessions, and 20 percent from other sources, such as building and ground rents and utilities.

    • Noise Mitigation

  • MSP operates one of the nation's most extensive airport noise mitigation programs.
  • Between 1992 and 2005, the commission insulated 7,690 single-family homes and 661 multi-family units at a total cost of more than $227.95 million.
  • Communities with insulated homes insulated through the 1996 Part 150 residential sound insulation program include: Minneapolis, Richfield, Eagan, Bloomington and Mendota Heights.  Eligible homes, depending upon their current condition, received new or reconditioned windows and doors, wall and attic insulation, central air, necessary venting or ductwork modifications, roof vents and attic baffling.
  • The MAC completed the 1996 noise mitigation program in 2004. Homes within the 2007 Part 150 Program's 65DNL (day-night level) area were completed in 2006.
  • The 2007 Part 150 program currently calls for homes that do not have central air conditioning and located in the 2007 60-64 DNL noise contours to receive it.  Participating homeowners would pay a co-payment ranging from 10 percent in the 64 DNL to 50 percent in the 60 DNL. Low-interest loans would be made available to help participating homeowners with their co-payments.

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