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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...heated-debate/

Houston City Council approves changes to airport concessions contracts in heated debate

In a 9-7 vote, the council approved changes to how four airport concession agreements are terminated. That makes it tougher for Pappas to potentially win back operations at the city’s airports after losing them last year.

ASHLEY BROWN | POSTED ON DECEMBER 21, 2023, 2:30 PM

Mayor Sylvester Turner wrapped up his last city council meeting on Wednesday before he leaves office at the end of the month. But, before heading out, Houston City Council had a heated debate over airport concession agreements.

In a 9-7 vote, the council voted to make changes to how four airport concession agreements are terminated. Some council members called the language unfair and wanted all concession contracts to read the same, although the four agreements were already approved.

The Houston Airport System director previously had the authority to cancel the contracts at will under a "termination of convenience" clause. District K Council Member Martha Castex-Tatum presented the amendment, stripping the power from the airport director.

"I don’t feel like this is fair for these four agreements to be the only revenue agreements that have a clause in it that says that they can be terminated for convenience," said. "If I had an agreement at the airport, I would want my agreement to be like everyone else’s agreement at the airport."

The agreements will now have to present a reasonable cause for leaving a contract. The four concessions are for 10 years totaling over $1 billion with food, beverage, and retail concessions at Hobby Airport and Bush Intercontinental Airport.