By Todd Jackson

Archives Reprint

    Construction bids submitted Wednesday for a Roanoke football stadium and amphitheater all exceeded the city's allotted budget.

    The low bid, made by Thor Inc. of Roanoke, was $2 million more than the city's budget of $11.4 million. And that low bid, as well as the five others, didn't include several add-ons, such as the field's turf and a rainwater collection system that has long been included as part of the city council-approved project.

    City officials hoped the bids would come in lower, mainly because City Manager Darlene Burcham has guaranteed the project will be completed for $18 million or less. A citizens group opposed to the project says there's no way the city can build the facility off Orange Avenue for that amount.

    The bids submitted Wednesday were for the main phase of construction. The city, which already has spent more than $2 million on the project, has decided to bid several other elements later, including a planned pedestrian walkway to be built over Orange Avenue.

    Members of Citizens for a Sensible Stadium Decision are trying to get the entire project stopped on federal environmental grounds and have filed a lawsuit in Roanoke Circuit Court.

    "Before the city spends this kind of money it needs to go to the Virginia General Assembly this session, get permission for a local advisory referendum, and hold one on this issue next May," said one of the group's leaders, Brian Wishneff.

    It's unclear what the yet-to-be bid items will cost, including the walkway, which would link the stadium parking lot to the civic center's.

    City Engineer Phil Schirmer said that bidding the walkway independently will save the city money because it will eliminate certain charges the project's general contractor would add for such specialized work.

    The opposition group, which favors renovation of 61-year-old Victory Stadium over the Orange Avenue proposal, believes the city is simply trying to play shell games to hide its costs.

    "If the city wants to bid major elements like the pedestrian bridge separately, then it should have bid them at the same time as the main stadium construction," Wishneff said. "City council will be fiscally irresponsible if it allows a contract to be awarded before it knows the cost of the pedestrian bridge."

    With the first bids now in, Schirmer said he and other governmental officials assigned to the project have their work cut out for them. Schirmer said the city will meet with Thor, the low bidder, to discuss options on how to lower the cost. Schirmer said such revisions as extending the construction schedule or altering certain elements of the project could get the bid closer to the city's budget.

    "At this point, I don't think we're so far apart that we can't sit down and come up with some ideas," he said.

    Schirmer said it's possible that the city may have to rebid the project, which could delay the start of construction significantly. The city had hoped to start construction as early as next month. The opposition group is hoping to delay a construction start until after May's municipal election in which four of seven council seats will be on the ballot. If several new council members are elected, the group believes they could form a majority and vote to kill the stadium project.

    Assistant City Manager Chip Snead said there was some good news to take from the bids. Five of the six construction firms are the biggest and most established local construction companies. Snead said that proves the proposed stadium is a viable and sound project, and not the boondoggle the opposition group is trying to make it out to be.

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