AUSTIN, Texas — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) is in the middle of a $5 billion growth spurt, and today local businesses are finding out how to get a piece of the pie. The airport is showing 200 subcontractors and construction professionals how to make its expansion a “runway to opportunities.” The goal is to keep the jobs and the paychecks they generate in Central Texas.

“To meet some people that I have not had a chance to meet is always my goal,” said Randy Hurst with ISEC, Inc.

What starts with a handshake and a business card can turn into a lucrative business deal for subcontractors such as ISEC, Inc. On Tuesday, Hurst made connections that could help the company win bids to provide custom interior finishes at the airport.

“I think it’s an opportunity for a lot of people,” said Hurst. “The airport is going to be around for a long time, so this is just potentially the tip of the iceberg as Austin continues to grow.”

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AUS is undergoing a multi-billion-dollar expansion and modernization. To get the job done, the airport coordinated Runway to Opportunities, an outreach event to encourage the hiring of more than 200 local subcontractors and construction professionals.

“If we are going to be expanding the airport, if we are effectively going to be building a new airport on top of the existing airport to meet the demand of Central Texas in our community, we want the work that goes into that to be reflective of that same community,” said Kyle Carvell, Airport Relations Officer.

Making connections between local subcontractors and the four general contractors in charge of the expansion is paying off for the airport. The $241 million West Infill Project wrapped up this month, overhauling the outbound baggage handling system and expanding Security Checkpoint 3 from two lanes to eight.

“A big point for that project was that it came in ahead of schedule and within budget,” said Carvell.

Subcontractors who turned out for the outreach event have addresses in the 22 counties the airport primarily serves.

“It just makes sense that AUS would choose its own people to build the airport and to put the money back in the economy as opposed to shipping it off outside of the city, outside of the state,” said Gregg Reyes with Reytec Construction.

Reyes sees it as a massive opportunity to help local subcontractors fly high into a new business stratosphere.

“To know what’s coming, when it’s coming, have the opportunity to present ourselves as a local business, and meet people is extremely helpful,” said Reyes.

AUS is already planning another outreach event in April. At that event, restaurants, food trucks, boutiques, and other small businesses can learn how to bid to become new vendors in the terminal expansion.

“The Journey with AUS expansion is essential to meeting the growing demand for nonstop flights from travelers and airlines in our region,” said Ghizlane Badawi, Chief Executive Officer for AUS. “This event demonstrated our strong commitment to collaboration and to building meaningful connections between our project partners and the local contractor community.”