Panel charged with renovating New York's LaGuardia Airport pitches sweeping renovations

A design panel commissioned to renovate New York's decrepit LaGuardia Airport has recommended sweeping changes including the creation of a great hall.

Panel officials Thursday announced a new main entrance that would give travelers a "great new experience" at the busy transit hub, which opened in 1939 and served nearly 27 million passengers in 2013.

The new entrance would be located in the central business terminal, which is slated for renovation.

The panel also recommends creating seamless connections between terminals and building a new hotel on airport grounds.

It will announce in June the winner of a design competition Gov. Andrew Cuomo (KWOH'-moh) commissioned to redesign the region's major airports.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has delayed selecting a bidder for the project while it waits for the competition to be completed.