Paradies Loses Concessions Award Following Opposition from Jacksonville Voters

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - In an Awards Committee meeting on November 17, the Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA) chose not to partner with Paradies Lagardère for new retail concessions at Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)––instead awarding the contract to Marshall Retail Group.

This decision was made following extensive outreach from UNITE HERE Local 40 and members of the Jacksonville community, urging JAA to suspend JAX's partnership with Paradies over concerns about worker treatment, health inspection violations, and a low score on JAA's Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) criteria, signaling inadequate engagement with small, disadvantaged businesses in Jacksonville.

Over 500 letters were sent by Duval County voters to JAA Leadership and Jacksonville City Council, echoing UNITE HERE Local 40's concerns. The North Florida Central Labor Council, which represents thousands of working families in the area, sent their own letter calling on JAA to end its partnership with Paradies. At least four councilmen, including Vice President Nick Howland, shared their constituents' concerns with JAA CEO Mark Vanloh.

Paradies currently operates seven retail units in JAX––a concessions agreement which JAA says is in a holdover status (month-to-month) until further notice. One of the key demands of the above letters was to end this holdover status and instead work with operators who meet higher standards for quality, labor relations, and local economic opportunity.

UNITE HERE Local 40 urges JAA to end Paradies' holdover status and use an alternative operator, so the body can continue to fulfill its vision statement to enhance its standing as a premiere economic engine for the City of Jacksonville.

The union sent another letter on November 18 to Vancouver International Airport––where it represents hundreds of concessions workers––urging them to follow suit and not award Paradies any new contracts.

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SOURCE UNITE HERE Local 40