New restaurants, shops open at Raleigh-Durham airport as part of investment project

MORRISVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Raleigh-Durham International Airport officials unveiled Thursday several new businesses and restaurants at Terminal 1.

This includes the Raleigh Beer Garden, an Italian restaurant, a candy store, and updated news and gift shops. These additions are part of a broader, multi-billion-dollar investment in the airport.

Last month, work began to expand Terminal 2, which will eventually double its passenger capacity and add new gates as a longer runway is completed around 2029. Major changes are also planned for John Brantley Boulevard, the road connecting RDU's terminals.

Airport CEO Michael Landguth emphasized the need for continued investment: "We know that demand is going to continue to be strong. And we see that from airlines. Airlines continue to add additional capacity."

The airport's improvement project is expected to total approximately $2.5 billion.