Denver City Council members reacted with irritation today when Denver International Airport Manager Kim Day was a no-show at a council committee meeting that was to review the airport’s terminal redevelopment project.
Last week, Day put DIA chief financial officer Stan Koniz on “investigatory leave” after Koniz said he raised concerns with her over the affordability of the terminal plan, which could cost up to $1 billion.
In recent months, Day won city council support for spending up to $160 million for design and construction management of a possible package of terminal improvements, including a new Westin Hotel, a FasTracks train station at DIA, a train station plaza and a remake of the airport terminal’s Great Hall.
Day’s action in putting Koniz on leave, and his claim that the expansion proposed by the airport chief was unsustainable financially, led City Council economic development committee chairman Charlie Brown to hastily add a review of the terminal plan to today’s agenda.
After Day sent subordinates to the meeting, Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz said, “It’s very important to have her here front and present.”
“She needs to be here the next time,” said Councilman Rick Garcia. “Clearly as manager of aviation, she should be here,” chimed in Councilman Michael Hancock.
“We meant no disrespect” by not bringing Day to the meeting, said Brian Elms, DIA’s assistant director for government affairs.
He and other airport officials said Day would attend the next committee meeting.
Day did not attend since there was “the potential of personnel matters coming up,” referring to the airport chief’s dispute with Koniz, that could “cloud” the presentation on terminal redevelopment, said DIA spokeswoman Sally Covington.
DIA is planning and designing the terminal redevelopment “as a whole,” but each individual element will have to be judged financially feasible for it to be built, Patrick Heck, DIA’s deputy manager of revenue development, told council members. Heck also has assumed Koniz’s duties on an interim basis.
Koniz, a 10-year finance veteran at the airport, said last week that Day asked him to resign and when he refused, she put him on leave. He said Day, who took over as DIA’s chief in March 2008, had cited him for “insubordination,” “lack of collaboration” and “overstepping” his authority.
Koniz declined to comment today, but last week said his financial models on the terminal project found it could contribute to raising airlines’ costs at DIA as much as 50 percent over the next five years.
Airlines’ expenses at airports are measured as “cost per enplaned passenger,” and Koniz said his modeling showed that cost could jump from about $12 a passenger today to as much as $18 per passenger following a full terminal buildout.
Typically, increases in airline costs are passed on to travelers in the form of higher fares.
