Austin airport CEO Ghizlane Badawi spoke at a Round Rock Chamber luncheon Aug. 28, outlining the multibillion-dollar expansion currently underway and the hefty economic benefit for the region.

The big picture

Badawi characterized the airport as the “economic engine for Central Texas,” noting that a 2018 Texas Department of Transportation study estimated Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s economic impact at $7.6 billion—a figure now projected at approximately $10 billion, Badawi said.

The figure includes airport employee payroll and sales from on-site businesses, as well as visitor spending on hotels, restaurants, transportation, shopping and entertainment. The study found that airline passengers alone account for $4.5 billion in spending within the Austin community.

ABIA

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