A grant from the economic stimulus will allow construction work to begin on a new terminal building at the Duluth International Airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration received $1.1 billion in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for airport improvements. The $7.1 million grant for Duluth is enough to begin construction work on the $65 million replacement of the current airport terminal.

"This is a project that is 30 years overdue; rebuilding this terminal will create hundreds of jobs in our economy," explained Rep. Jim Oberstar.

In the past two years, FAA grants totaling $3.3 million have funded the bulk of the planning and design work for the new terminal.  Construction will begin in late June or early July. 

The new terminal will be located in what is now the airport’s short-term parking lot.  The old terminal building will remain in use throughout construction.