Phoenix City Council OKs first step to naming Sky Harbor Terminal 3 after Sen. John McCain

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - On Wednesday, Phoenix City Council voted to start the process of renaming Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport's Terminal 3 after Sen. John McCain.

Phoenix's mayor, Greg Stanton, proposed the idea a few weeks ago.

"I'll just say, I'm really excited about this opportunity," said Mayor Stanton. "The opportunity to name this awesome, remodeled, renovated terminal after a great American, a great Arizona senator McCain is a no brainer."

Construction is ongoing for the $600 million makeover of Terminal 3, which is set to be ready in 2020. Should the naming go through, it will go alongside the late Senator Barry Goldwater, the man Terminal 4 has been named after, since 1999.

"One of the things I think about Senator McCain, he represents Arizona much like Goldwater did, that Arizona independent spirit," said Councilmember Debra Stark.

That independent spirit has kept McCain fighting through a grim Stage 4 diagnosis of Glioblastoma, an aggressive a form of brain cancer that was discovered back in July. The recent revelation that a second tumor was found might increase the urgency even more.

"This is a small way of saying thank you to the senator and his family, for the sacrifices over a lifetime of, again, fighting for our country in many ways, and fighting for Arizona in many ways," said Councilmember Daniel Valenzuela.