Much ado has been made of two million-sf International Terminal D, the first new one since 1976 and part of a $2.6-billion capital improvement program at the nation's third busiest facility. To date, 1,000 piers have been sunk and all excavation of the 29-acre site is complete.

Terminal D promises to be the "crown jewel" to the 18,000-acre airport, with cornerstones of 100,000 sf of retail space in an innovative "concession village" design. Much akin to the pedestrian-friendly town centers now dotting Texas, the villages are designed to be destination points rather than usual central court fare, Clay Paslay, executive vice president of airport development, tells GlobeSt.com. Live entertainment stages, children's play areas and business service venues are being viewed with the same retail potential as eateries, beverage and newsstand tenants. "We're looking for an exciting and dynamic place for visitors," says Paslay, who estimates the first lease signings are a year out.

Pat Gleason, the airport's vice president of concessions, will be courting a wide spectrum of retail prospects, possibly entertaining proposals from retailers abroad who've never ventured into the US market. "It will be a real cross-section," Paslay promises although the RFPs have yet to be floated.