Airport gets $1.4M for Super Bowl

Atlanta City Council OKs funding to help Hartsfield-Jackson deal with expected increase in passenger traffic that weekend.

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is spending nearly $1.4 million to handle crowds for the Super Bowl in Atlanta.

The Super Bowl will be held Feb. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The event is expected to draw more than 1 million visitors, with increased traffic particularly in areas around the Mercedes-Benz stadium, downtown and at the world’s busiest airport.

The Monday after the Super Bowl is expected to be among the busiest days the airport has faced, with tens of thousands of travelers flying out of Atlanta. On record holidays, more than 90,000 travelers can pass through security checkpoints at the airport.

Officials are bracing in case the Super Bowl brings even bigger crowds. That may depend on where teams that play in the game are from. The travel day on Mon- day could be complicated by the fact that many travelers may head to the airport after the game Sunday and stay overnight in the terminal until their flight.

The city already dedicated $10 million from the general fund toward the Super Bowl in its budget adopted last year, including funding for the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Rescue and other expenditures.

And on Monday, the Atlanta City Council approved nearly $1.4 million in airport funds for Hartsfield-Jackson International to handle Super Bowl crowds.

The money will go toward facilities; aviation security supplies and services; airport marketing; airport public information advertising, printing, supplies and other expenses, according to documents submitted to city council.

The documents said the mayor’s administration “wants to ensure that the city is prepared to provide a clean, safe, attentive and welcoming city for all visitors.”