LANSING - Something new has been brewing in the Capital Region International Airport for about a year and it was finally opened to the public.

While the restaurant may be brand new, people familiar with the Lansing area might recognize some of it's features from another local hot spot.

The Airport officially opened Capital Brewport yesterday morning. The decision to add the new restaurant was voted on by the airports board members last year and construction began earlier this year.

This is the first of many steps of the eight year phase the airport is taking to modernize and improve it’s terminals.

“The facility that was here before was about 30 years old,” said President and CEO of Capital Regional Airport Authority Wayne Sieloff. “In fact, it was built way before 9/11 and there wasn’t even a kitchen facility upstairs to prepare food fresh for passengers.”

While building a full-series kitchen was one of the main points, the addition of another important and highly requested accommodation for passengers was the other top priority to the modernization process.

“The number of outlets and charging facilities for mobile devices,” Sieloff said. “Certainly before mobile devices were very popular this facility was created so almost every table has those very accessible allowing people to charge your devices before getting on a plane.”

Lansing Brewing Company helped design the layout of the new restaurant and there's some similar features to the downtown brewery. But it isn’t just the reclaimed wood and layout that give it the same feel.

“While we have a variety of beverages, there are a couple that are brewed by Lansing Brewing Company,” said Sieloff.

The Airport is excited to officially welcome this new addition and its partnership with Lansing brewing company to make sure every passengers is greeted with or left remembering what Lansing, Michigan has to offer.

“It’s really important to be able to welcome people to the region from the moment they get off a plane,” said Sieloff. “Our goal is to make sure they witness and experience some of what Lansing has to offer.”

New additions are still being added to the restaurant including a mural on one of the walls, a new flight information display system and cameras allowing passengers to see the gates for each airline. These additions will hopefully be coming by the end of this year.

The airport improvement project will include other improved businesses and community amenities such as business pods, nursing rooms, updated gates and a coffee shop.