Miami Airport will have a new state-of-the-art cargo center.

The Miami International Airport (MIA) will have a new state-of-the-art cargo center that will be "the first of its kind in the hemisphere."

The facility will have four floors and will increase the total airport capacity by at least 50% (minimum of 4.5 million tons), thanks to an investment of 400 million dollars.

"With the construction of this state-of-the-art and unprecedented air cargo facility, the sky is the limit for MIA to lead the global air cargo industry after years of consecutive unprecedented growth since 2020," said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

The building will be called Vertically Integrated Cargo Community (VICC in English) and will have an area of almost 800,000 square feet (74,420 square meters) on 11 acres of land.

It is expected to be completed in 2029. During these five years, 8,500 new temporary jobs will be created, earning a total of 500 million dollars in wages.

The impact on employment of the new facility will be felt in the Cuban community in Miami, as the airport hires a large number of Cuban immigrants in its workforce.

The VICC will lead to an increase in the airport's total capacity by at least 50%, resulting in 2,500 new permanent jobs, which will generate $512 million in leases and commercial revenues for the county's Department of Aviation over the 40 years of the agreement.

Furthermore, at least 60% of the design and construction companies associated with the project will be headquartered in the county, which in turn will hire registered small businesses.

"This is great news for our community and our economy. MIA is our biggest economic engine, generating thousands of jobs for our residents and significant income for many of our leading industries, from tourism to small businesses," added the mayor.

In recent months, improvements have been announced at MIA, the largest U.S. airport for international cargo and the second busiest in terms of international passengers.

Last February, a federal program granted $27 million for the restoration of the MIA Mover and improvements to the lobby, with the aim of facilitating transit and increasing comfort.

In two years, the airport will have a state-of-the-art parking lot, with seven levels and capacity for more than 2,000 vehicles, reaching a total of 10,000 parking spaces.

As these changes materialize, complaints about the functioning of the facilities are being reported.

Recently, large crowds and chaos formed to pick up the suitcases, causing great frustration among travelers.

Also in April, long lines were reported for passport control.

The airport customs officials mentioned that it could be a wait of more than six hours," questioned a woman who took 30 minutes to find the end of the huge line.