"This is an outstanding opportunity for aviation-related developers to participate in what is perhaps the only 'greenfield' airport project underway in the western hemisphere," says John Carver, EVP of the Colliers Multimodal Services Group. The Colliers team was retained by Corporacion Quiport SA, the entity awarded the concession to finance, construct and operate the facility.

Conceived in 2002, the new Quito airport will replace the aging Mariscal Sucre Airport, which is situated in the center of the city 15 miles away to the west. Cargo and passenger forecasts have continued to increase for the airport since the plan was launched, explains Carver, and the result has been an expanded development strategy. Part of the firm's role will involve identifying qualified companies that would be interested in participating in the venture, a search that Carver says will be launched shortly via a requests-for-proposals process.

The ongoing advisory assignment will be directed from the Colliers International office in Los Angeles, which will oversee the efforts of the Multimodal Services Group and the Colliers Latin America Services Group. According to Carver, the immediate task will be to identify and attract companies needed to deliver critical elements of the project support system that must be in place by the opening, including cargo facilities, general aviation hangers and ancillary services. Other aspects will be added over time as dictated by the client.