First phase of 'Dream of Flight' takes off

The empanadas from Flavors of New Mexico had bite. A mural at Dunkin’ shows hovering doughnuts made to look like hot air balloons. There’s healthy vegan options at Rush of Prana, and the new bar might be open by the weekend.

City of Albuquerque officials on Monday unveiled the opening of the first phase of a massive “Dream of Flight” renovation project, a roughly $90 million effort to rejuvenate the Albuquerque International Sunport and update the dining options available to passengers.

On Saturday, Flavors of New Mexico, Rush of Prana, a branch of Annapurna’s World Vegetarian Cafe, and a renovated Panda Express opened in the food hall. Dunkin’ started offering samples and a bar named after Teller Vodka, a liquor from local distillery Safe House Distilling Co., is expected to open as soon as this weekend. A Cheese and Coffee and Indian Pueblo Kitchen restaurants are also expected soon, said Gary Gilliard, deputy director of the Sunport.

He said over the next four to six months, New Mexico Piñon Coffee, Frank’s Famous Chicken and Waffles, Sadie’s, Steel Bender and a Taos Peaks/Buffalo Wild Wings are among the new restaurants that will open. Eighty percent of businesses at the Sunport will be local, he said.

Holiday travelers will notice that the first phase changes the flow of airport traffic. Passengers will enter the food hall directly after clearing security, and departing passengers will head out a different way.

“This is a very special occasion just in time for the holidays,” said Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller. “I’m filled with gratitude today and reminded of how delicious some of this airport is.”

Keller said the project, which dates back to 2022, has stayed on time and on budget.

The project is being funded with Sunport money. It is an enterprise department for the city, which means it makes revenue, said Manny Manriquez, the deputy director of innovation and development at the Sunport.

Much of the project was funded with passenger facility charges, which travelers pay when purchasing tickets. The Sunport also gets revenue from airlines, tenants, parking and Federal Aviation Administration support, among other sources.

Jaynes Corporation was one of the primary contractors, along with FBT Architects. Fresquez Companies will operate the restaurants in the new food hall.

There is a strong art component to the project, which will bring more local artwork into the Sunport to be displayed. Passengers will notice a “Dream of Flight” sculpture is on display at the center of the new food hall. There is a stage underneath the sculpture.

Keller also highlighted the mural next to the Dunkin’ restaurant, which shows an Albuquerque skyline filled with hot air balloons but with doughnuts instead of canopies.

“Which is by far the coolest ... franchised mural we’ve ever seen,” he said. “I have a strange suspicion that as much as we want our amazing sculpture and artwork to be the selfie spot, I think a lot of it’s going to be right out in front of Dunkin’.”