ROCK SPRINGS — A new look and grand view were some of the enhancements travelers saw while using the renovated commercial terminal at Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport Wednesday.
A small celebration highlighted the terminal’s soft opening, with commemorative cookies and some airport swag available to those taking the first flight out. The first flight from the airport’s new terminal was United Airlines Flight 5114, which received a water salute by two of the airport’s fire trucks as it taxied onto the runway.
Work is still ongoing at the terminal. While the building is operational, some areas still remain under construction. Despite that, the terminal’s upgraded features and modernized appearance have impressed the travelers making use of the facility.
“It looks really nice,” Victoria McEntire, a traveler boarding the first flight from the new terminal said.
She said the terminal looks bigger and more modern, saying the terminal is something the community can take pride in.
An observation area at the departure gate overlooks the tarmac and the desert landscape beyond the airport, with the Simplot facility viewable in the distance. Another eye-catching feature is a digital screen showing high resolution videos to travelers. The screen bends at an interior and exterior corner towards the new baggage claim area. Dustin Ironshell, a technician from High Country Low Voltage of Golden, Colorado, said installing the screen was a challenge and required it to be installed and torn down four times before it was aligned properly.
The screens are made up of 1,100 panels that display images in 4K. Ironshell said there are thousands of parts and pieces that had to be stitched together for the display to operate. A second display will be installed near the baggage carousel in a few weeks. Airport Director Devon Brubaker said the terminal has been closed for construction almost exactly a year, with everything having been moved out Aug. 22, 2024. That day, which Brubaker described as a “a big day” in an interview with SweetwaterNOW last year, will be eclipsed when the terminal’s grand opening ceremony takes place Sept. 12 at 2 p.m.
Check out SweetwaterNOW’s Instagram Reel of the event below.
