Wolfgang Puck restaurant may be coming to Punta Gorda Airport

The Punta Gorda Airport is “in discussions” with Wolfgang Puck about developing a Wolfgang Puck Kitchen + Bar inside the facility, a spokesperson for the airport says.

The restaurant could seat 112 people, based on a concept design presented to the Charlotte County Airport Authority in early August. Seating would include booths, counter space and tables. There would also be a grab-and-go cooler where people could purchase items in a retail area.

Spanning more than 3,500 square feet, the eatery would include nearly 1,100 square feet that is public-facing, while 2,500 would be dedicated to back-of-the-house operations.

"We are very excited about the opportunity in opening in Punta Gorda Airport," a spokesperson for Wolfgang Puck says in a statement to the Business Observer.

Wolfgang Puck is already in 24 airports around the world, according to its website. This would be the first one in a Florida airport. The closest airport with a Wolfgang Puck restaurant is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.

Courtesy image

“We are in discussions with Wolfgang Puck … but have not signed agreements yet,” Kaley Miller, spokesperson for the Punta Gorda Airport, says in an Aug. 8 email. “At this point, these are just concepts proposed to the Charlotte County Airport Authority Board.”

The board saw the concepts presented during an Aug. 1 workshop about the expansion and renovation of Bailey Terminal at the airport, according to Miller. Other concessions proposed include a Dunkin' and The Market at PGD. Designs are expected to take through the end of 2024 to complete, with construction on the terminal set to start in April 2025, according to the presentation, a copy of which was provided to the Business Observer. The expansion project is to be completed between July 2025 and November 2026. It will be followed by the renovation, which is projected to be finished by May 2027.

Costs for the terminal expansion are estimated at $43.6 million.

Have news tips? Email [email protected].

This story was updated to include comment from a Wolfgang Puck representative.