TAMPA, Fla. — Tucked in a corner near Tampa International's baggage claim is Keith Buckingham. He's the co-owner of Our Little Suitcase.
"Car seats are kind of our bread and butter," he explained, showing us the room of items.
But it's not just car seats. Strollers, pack-and-plays, cribs, inflatable mattresses, and even beach chairs are available for rent.
"I'm not only the rent the baby gear guy, but I also do the information along here, and I'm glad to do it. I want people to again have a good experience here at Tampa," he said.
In his location, he gets a lot of people moving along to their next destination; many are surprised to find this great resource.
"I see people walking by here. I've talked to him and said, 'Hey, you know if you knew that you could get it here at the airport, would that change your travel plans?' And they say yeah because you're lugging these things around," he said.
Soon, Buckingham will have a lot more people to greet and rent to. Tampa International Airport is taking off on an expansion project.
Tuesday evening, Jeff Siddle, TPA's Vice-President of Planning and Development, and other leaders of the airport opened the doors to the community. Giving them a sneak peek at what's ahead.
"On average, about 140 people a day are moving into our region. The airport has to stay in front of that growth," Siddle explained.
Twenty-three million people are expected to come through TPA this year. By the end of the 20-year master plan set in 2012, the airport anticipates servicing 39 million people. Meaning right now is the time to plan ahead.
"It's really mission-critical for us to do that," he added.
The next phase in the expansion will transform the ticketing level. The airport is revamping the ticketing process, adding the latest in technology to make it easier and faster to move through. Baggage claim will expand to make way for more people coming in. Perhaps the biggest change: a new north terminal.
"It's 270 acres that we have on our property that will accommodate another 45 gates as we need to grow beyond Airside D."
That expansion will likely have a big impact on Buckingham's business.
"The more [people] that come through, the better our business is going to be. The bigger it's going to grow," Buckingham added.
That expansion means good news outside of the airport's boundaries as well. Melanie Fowler, the Westshore Alliance President, sees this as an opportunity to get more people into the Westshore District.
"Our tourists have plenty of hotel options within the Westshore District, one of the highest concentrations of hotels with the proximity to the airport," she explained.
Just like TPA, Westshore Alliance is looking ahead as well.
"We've developed a strategic plan around transportation around the look and feel of the area and how we want to grow through our master plan. And now we're setting about this year. We're setting about executing that," she said.
Transportation is a critical key in their Master Plan. Their goal is to figure out how to best accommodate more cars, more cyclists, and more pedestrians. One element in the airport's plan could be an answer.
The expansion will create a space for Advanced Air Mobility. That's an electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically, like a helicopter, for short passenger flights and package deliveries. The purpose is for short trips, like Tampa to Clearwater.
"It's real. The technology is right around the corner," Siddle said.
Fowler welcomes new modes of transportation.
"I think that's where we have to be looking at. What are some of these innovative strategies that make sense for the district? How do we make sure that we're getting people the places that they need to be," she said.
As Tampa's popularity climbs, people in the city and this booming airport are soaring to new heights.
