TAMPA, Fla. — The Red Side Rental Car Garage at Tampa International Airport came down as part of a controlled explosion at around 2 a.m. Tuesday.

  • TIA parking garage implosion part of expansion project
  • Expansion to help serve 34 million annual passengers
  • Garage clearing to allow for express lanes, new shuttle guideway to terminal D

The airport stated it was part of a master plan expansion that will help serve 34 million annual passengers.

It took 16,000 pounds of dynamite and just a few seconds to turn the parking garage into a pile of dust. 

More than 20 agencies were involved in the project, including the FAA, police, fire rescue, contractors, and inspectors. 

Al Illustrato with the Tampa International Airport said the implosion went according to plan and it begins an exciting new chapter for airport expansion. 

"It is a big milestone for us because it clears the way for our expanded curbs, so we are going to expand our curbs on the red and blue side, adding four more lanes, upper and lower. We are going to call them express lanes so folks that have a boarding pass from home with no checked luggage will be able to have an express experience," Illustrato said. 

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Once the site is cleared, it will also be a part of a new shuttle guideway to the airports new terminal D, which will house 16 domestic and international gates. 

The airport says that will help expand international flights in and out of the airport.

Once the final phase of the master plan is complete, TIA says they will have the capacity for 34 million passengers every year.