JULY 2018 | SFBWMAG.COM | $7.95

MIA’s New Leader Tells What’s Ahead COVER STORY

Lester Sola charts the fl ight path for MIA By Kevin Gale | Portrait Photography by Patrick Clinton

ester Sola might be dubbed the “Mr. Fix-it” of Miami- Dade Country government. He has reorganized several county departments, including elections, refocused a multibillion capital program at Miami International Airport and served as director of the water and sewer department. In February, he assumed one of the most high-level business roles in South Florida: director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, including oversight of Miami International Airport. MIA ranks fi rst among U.S. airports in international freight, third in international passengers and 10th in total passengers. It had 44.1 million passengers in 2017. On a weekly basis, that’s equivalent to the combined populations of Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton taking off or landing at the airport. SFBW interviewed Sola at the department’s offi ces, which are tucked away in an upper fl oor of the central terminal at MIA. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. ►

28 JULY 2018 • www.sfbwmag.com COVER STORY

Lester Sola charts the fl ight path for MIA By Kevin Gale | Portrait Photography by Patrick Clinton ester Sola might be dubbed the “Mr. Fix-it” of Miami- Dade Country government. He has reorganized several county departments, including elections, refocused a multibillion capital program at Miami International Airport and served as director of the water and sewer department. In February, he assumed one of the most high-level business roles in South Florida: director and CEO of the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, including oversight of Miami International Airport. MIA ranks fi rst among U.S. airports in international freight, third in international passengers and 10th in total passengers. It had 44.1 million passengers in 2017. On a weekly basis, that’s equivalent to the combined populations of Miami, Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Boca Raton taking off or landing at the airport. SFBW interviewed Sola at the department’s offi ces, which are tucked away in an upper fl oor of the central terminal at MIA. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. ►

www.sfbwmag.com • JULY 2018 29 COVER STORY

our dropoffs are Uber and Lyft vehicles. There is some growth taking place here I was impressed by your More and more people are taking that with our current operators, such as the ability to have multiple high-level form of transportation to and from the UPS and the FedExes of the world. They positions in the county, because airport, so there’s an impact on parking are continuing to look for expansions, people in those positions can be garages. At one point, it was diffi cult to and they have expansion programs in the scapegoated or are a lightning rod fi nd a space. Now there is space. So you airport right now. Amazon’s Prime Air is for criticism. What’s your secret? have to be looking to the future and saying fl ying here. It’s transparency. People refer to me you don’t need as much parking garage As far as other companies outside of as a straight shooter. With the mayor or space and asking how are you going to MIA, they are showing their growth at commissioners, I have a rapport with develop that land. our other airports. Amazon is building them—no matter where I’m sent, whether a very large distribution center at Opa it be in the water and sewer department, You had a trip to Asia, and it’s Locka. Several other cargo operators and at one point, I was even an election been a long-term quest to get have expanded. There was a point in supervisor after they had some issues. direct passenger service. How did the 1990s that we knew Opa Locka was It’s really an opportunity to interact that go? going to be the reliever airport for cargo with people and tell them what the It went well. Just like every other and it took a while for it to take off, but problem is from your perspective, and market we have pursued and attained, it now every space at Opa Locka has been you have to tell them how you are going takes time. There’s nothing like being face- programmed with regard to how the to fi x it and how you are going t o manage to-face and asking for the business of these space is going to be used. The demand going forward. If you run into problems carriers. You have to make the business is ultimately going to be tapped out at along the way, you can’t just eventually case that it’s going to be profi table and Opa Locka. The next logical place we let it come up. You have to be able to tell Miami International Airport has some cutting-edge concourses in the north terminal after a $6 billion wave of construction worthwhile to invest in a route from would go to is Miami Executive Airport folks, “Hey, look. We were going in this Asia directly to MIA. We have a couple in Kendall. direction. This happened. In order for us If you were going to give a “state the size of our capital program for the next I think it’s really a milestone the airport of potential clients, airlines that we are to fi x it, we are going to do X, Y and Z of the airport” type overview, decade will be. You want to make sure you has reached. It wasn’t too long ago, that in working with. Talk about private aviation at and we’ll be back on the path.” ♦ what would you say? remain competitive by not overspending our nation’s airports, the majority of the Originally, we pursued a direct cargo the airports here. How is that I think, exceptional. Even though last but spending at the right mix so you can restaurants and shops were without brands. fl ight from Asia to MIA. We were able growing? The view from the roof at Sola’s offi ce year traffi c was down 1 percent as a result continue to be as low on cost as possible They were just generic restaurants. Now, to forge a partnership. We had one airline The majority of that growth takes of the hurricanes, the overall forecast for airlines to fl y in and out of Miami with the marketing ability we have to with one fl ight a week. That airline is now place at our general aviation airports. continues to be strong both in passenger International Airport. leverage brand names of restaurants and up to four fl ights a week. Now, there are Opa Locka is in the single digits, 1- or and in cargo. One of the big items is building a shops, it really helps with the clientele and three airlines fl ying cargo. One recent 2-percent growth. Miami Executive We continue to trend around a 3 percent new airport hotel. That’s a signifi cant leverages the expertise they may have in addition came as late as March this year. Airport is looking at 6- to 8-percent increase in passengers. We’re not just the investment by this airport. The delivery branding, selling and retail. In food and I think passenger [traffi c] is the next growth. Homestead General, which is gateway of the Americas for all travel vehicle still needs to be determined— beverage, it allows the traveling public inevitable step where we can provide the even closer to the Keys, was looking at to South America, Central America and whether we do that as a P3 engagement to entertain and enjoy the experience of stats. We have the numbers, where you 15 percent last year. People are choosing the Caribbean, but we also operate as [a public-private partnership] or if owner- fl ying, whether right before a fl ight or have over 300,000 to 400,000 people those general aviation airports. They are a signifi cant hub to many of our airline fi nanced is an option. after a fl ight to be able to participate in an yearly that are fl ying through this airport easy to get into and out of. We have a lot partners domestically, too, so it kind of We are also looking at redoing the experience they are familiar with. and ending up in Asia. There are those of FBOs [fi xed-base operators] that are feeds into each other. We have a very good central portion of the terminal. While we people who are connecting here and would making sizable investments in facilitating blend—ideal, really—at about 50/50 in did a signifi cant investment in the northern I read that you have a focus on like to get a direct fl ight to Asia. the visits. regard to international and domestic. terminal and the southern terminal, there cleanliness at the airport. We continue being the No. 1 U.S. airport are areas of the central terminal that need It’s a big point for me. Oftentimes, What changes are you seeing How would you describe your for international cargo. It’s important for to be redone. Those are interim programs your fi rst experience in a city after you in cargo? What is the impact of management style? people to understand that cargo is not just with signifi cant dollars, in excess of a step out of that airplane is that image Amazon? I’m pretty easy-going, but very a cargo-only plane, but the majority of all billion dollars, to redo that program. of the terminal. We have exceptional E-commerce has been the driving force involved in the details. I’m a hands-on Altis Boca Raton our passenger fl ights come with cargo in terminals in the north and south. We are of growth for cargo volume—not just at kind of a guy, wherein I don’t always get the bellies of planes. In the past, we have That’s an ongoing program? looking to have that same experience in this airport, but also Miami-Opa Locka my information from senior management. ranged from 6 to 7 percent growth. We are about to launch it. There are the central area of the terminal. For me, Executive Airport, which is experiencing I can only give you my recent experience opportunities for the ultimate redo of that it’s important for our traveling public that signifi cant, almost explosive, growth. As at water and sewer, which has 2,300 There was a wave of construction terminal that would be even more billions we have restrooms and overall cleanliness far as the development taking place at employees, $13 billion in capital. at the airport. Is it pretty much of dollars into the future. of our terminals. that airport, it’s all cargo-driven and all Oftentimes, I would pull over by the over? e-commerce-driven. It’s really what has side of the road where the employees The department was involved in a A J.D. Power customer What’s the impact of Uber and driven the cargo volume numbers. were working and introduce myself and very large capital program that ultimately satisfaction survey of the nation’s Lyft and the changes in 2016 to really have a conversation with them. ended up in the neighborhood of around mega airports ranked MIA first in make them legal to serve the Do you have more room for Oftentimes, you get your best information $6 billion. It’s been completed. Right now, food, beverage and retail. What’s airport? industrial warehouses on aviation from the people down on the ground and we are in the process of determining what your reaction? Signifi cant. I think 60 to 70 percent of department property? doing the work.

30 JULY 2018 • www.sfbwmag.com COVER STORY

our dropoffs are Uber and Lyft vehicles. There is some growth taking place here I was impressed by your More and more people are taking that with our current operators, such as the ability to have multiple high-level form of transportation to and from the UPS and the FedExes of the world. They positions in the county, because airport, so there’s an impact on parking are continuing to look for expansions, people in those positions can be garages. At one point, it was diffi cult to and they have expansion programs in the scapegoated or are a lightning rod fi nd a space. Now there is space. So you airport right now. Amazon’s Prime Air is for criticism. What’s your secret? have to be looking to the future and saying fl ying here. It’s transparency. People refer to me you don’t need as much parking garage As far as other companies outside of as a straight shooter. With the mayor or space and asking how are you going to MIA, they are showing their growth at commissioners, I have a rapport with develop that land. our other airports. Amazon is building them—no matter where I’m sent, whether a very large distribution center at Opa it be in the water and sewer department, You had a trip to Asia, and it’s Locka. Several other cargo operators and at one point, I was even an election been a long-term quest to get have expanded. There was a point in supervisor after they had some issues. direct passenger service. How did the 1990s that we knew Opa Locka was It’s really an opportunity to interact that go? going to be the reliever airport for cargo with people and tell them what the It went well. Just like every other and it took a while for it to take off, but problem is from your perspective, and market we have pursued and attained, it now every space at Opa Locka has been you have to tell them how you are going takes time. There’s nothing like being face- programmed with regard to how the to fi x it and how you are going t o manage to-face and asking for the business of these space is going to be used. The demand going forward. If you run into problems carriers. You have to make the business is ultimately going to be tapped out at along the way, you can’t just eventually case that it’s going to be profi table and Opa Locka. The next logical place we let it come up. You have to be able to tell Miami International Airport has some cutting-edge concourses in the north terminal after a $6 billion wave of construction worthwhile to invest in a route from would go to is Miami Executive Airport folks, “Hey, look. We were going in this Asia directly to MIA. We have a couple in Kendall. direction. This happened. In order for us If you were going to give a “state the size of our capital program for the next I think it’s really a milestone the airport of potential clients, airlines that we are to fi x it, we are going to do X, Y and Z of the airport” type overview, decade will be. You want to make sure you has reached. It wasn’t too long ago, that in working with. Talk about private aviation at and we’ll be back on the path.” ♦ what would you say? remain competitive by not overspending our nation’s airports, the majority of the Originally, we pursued a direct cargo the airports here. How is that I think, exceptional. Even though last but spending at the right mix so you can restaurants and shops were without brands. fl ight from Asia to MIA. We were able growing? The view from the roof at Sola’s offi ce year traffi c was down 1 percent as a result continue to be as low on cost as possible They were just generic restaurants. Now, to forge a partnership. We had one airline The majority of that growth takes of the hurricanes, the overall forecast for airlines to fl y in and out of Miami with the marketing ability we have to with one fl ight a week. That airline is now place at our general aviation airports. continues to be strong both in passenger International Airport. leverage brand names of restaurants and up to four fl ights a week. Now, there are Opa Locka is in the single digits, 1- or and in cargo. One of the big items is building a shops, it really helps with the clientele and three airlines fl ying cargo. One recent 2-percent growth. Miami Executive We continue to trend around a 3 percent new airport hotel. That’s a signifi cant leverages the expertise they may have in addition came as late as March this year. Airport is looking at 6- to 8-percent increase in passengers. We’re not just the investment by this airport. The delivery branding, selling and retail. In food and I think passenger [traffi c] is the next growth. Homestead General, which is gateway of the Americas for all travel vehicle still needs to be determined— beverage, it allows the traveling public inevitable step where we can provide the even closer to the Keys, was looking at to South America, Central America and whether we do that as a P3 engagement to entertain and enjoy the experience of stats. We have the numbers, where you 15 percent last year. People are choosing the Caribbean, but we also operate as [a public-private partnership] or if owner- fl ying, whether right before a fl ight or have over 300,000 to 400,000 people those general aviation airports. They are a signifi cant hub to many of our airline fi nanced is an option. after a fl ight to be able to participate in an yearly that are fl ying through this airport easy to get into and out of. We have a lot partners domestically, too, so it kind of We are also looking at redoing the experience they are familiar with. and ending up in Asia. There are those of FBOs [fi xed-base operators] that are feeds into each other. We have a very good central portion of the terminal. While we people who are connecting here and would making sizable investments in facilitating blend—ideal, really—at about 50/50 in did a signifi cant investment in the northern I read that you have a focus on like to get a direct fl ight to Asia. the visits. regard to international and domestic. terminal and the southern terminal, there cleanliness at the airport. We continue being the No. 1 U.S. airport are areas of the central terminal that need It’s a big point for me. Oftentimes, What changes are you seeing How would you describe your for international cargo. It’s important for to be redone. Those are interim programs your fi rst experience in a city after you in cargo? What is the impact of management style? people to understand that cargo is not just with signifi cant dollars, in excess of a step out of that airplane is that image Amazon? I’m pretty easy-going, but very a cargo-only plane, but the majority of all billion dollars, to redo that program. of the terminal. We have exceptional E-commerce has been the driving force involved in the details. I’m a hands-on Altis Boca Raton our passenger fl ights come with cargo in terminals in the north and south. We are of growth for cargo volume—not just at kind of a guy, wherein I don’t always get the bellies of planes. In the past, we have That’s an ongoing program? looking to have that same experience in this airport, but also Miami-Opa Locka my information from senior management. ranged from 6 to 7 percent growth. We are about to launch it. There are the central area of the terminal. For me, Executive Airport, which is experiencing I can only give you my recent experience opportunities for the ultimate redo of that it’s important for our traveling public that signifi cant, almost explosive, growth. As at water and sewer, which has 2,300 There was a wave of construction terminal that would be even more billions we have restrooms and overall cleanliness far as the development taking place at employees, $13 billion in capital. at the airport. Is it pretty much of dollars into the future. of our terminals. that airport, it’s all cargo-driven and all Oftentimes, I would pull over by the over? e-commerce-driven. It’s really what has side of the road where the employees The department was involved in a A J.D. Power customer What’s the impact of Uber and driven the cargo volume numbers. were working and introduce myself and very large capital program that ultimately satisfaction survey of the nation’s Lyft and the changes in 2016 to really have a conversation with them. ended up in the neighborhood of around mega airports ranked MIA first in make them legal to serve the Do you have more room for Oftentimes, you get your best information $6 billion. It’s been completed. Right now, food, beverage and retail. What’s airport? industrial warehouses on aviation from the people down on the ground and we are in the process of determining what your reaction? Signifi cant. I think 60 to 70 percent of department property? doing the work.

www.sfbwmag.com • JULY 2018 31