New international terminal creates 40k jobs at LAX

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Amid the hustle and bustle of one of the busiest airports in the world, constructions crews are piecing together the future of Los Angeles International Airport.

At a cost of $4 billion, a massive new international terminal is taking shape and in the process is providing the local economy with a much needed jolt.

"We are creating here 39,900 jobs over a period of seven years of construction," said Gina Marie Lindsey, the CEO of LAX.

That's the kind of job creation President Barack Obama often sites when he talks about infrastructure work around the country. Many of the workers at LAX would be on unemployment without this job.

"Construction has really slowed down and so I was laid off due to the lack of work in the area," construction worker Anna Marie Perez said. "I was off for nine months."

It's not just about construction jobs. When workers finish their day they go into the surrounding community to eat, drink and shop.

"Probably 40 percent of my revenue now is coming from this job site," said Anna Marie Rosales, who runs a janitorial service company that does cleanup work at the site.

While many projects like this rely on tax payer dollars, this work will not cost the tax payer a dime.

"This is all self-supported," Lindsey said. "Airline fees and the fees that you all pay when you buy a hot dog here go to support this construction."

The international terminal is just the beginning. It will include a shopping mall and restaurants.

More work is already being planned for other terminals at LAX.

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airport news, construction, jobs, los angeles international airport, los angeles news, john gregory

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