Fayetteville receives regional park bids

FAYETTEVILLE -- Construction bids for the first phase of the city's regional park came in higher than budgeted.

Andrea Foren, city purchasing agent, opened four bid packets Friday. Officials hoped the project would cost no more than $10.7 million.

Fayetteville Regional Park

City officials received four bids Friday for the first phase of a planned regional park. The amounts shown are “base bids.” Bidders also gave estimates for how much construction would cost if a baseball field, playground and soccer netting were removed from the project.

ContractorBase BidBid After Deductions

Crossland Construction Co.$11.9 million11.5 million

Flynco Inc.$13.4 million$12.8 million

Dave Kolb Grading$14.2 million$13.9 million

Nexus Construction Service Group$14.2 million$14 million

Source: City of Fayetteville

The apparent low bid for the project, at $11.9 million, came from Crossland Construction of Rogers. The company has completed various sporting facility projects, including Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, renovations to the football field and track at Pittsburg State University and a Kansas City Chiefs indoor practice facility in St. Joseph, Mo., according to its website.

Bids were submitted by Flynco of Little Rock for $13.4 million; Dave Kolb Grading of St. Charles, Mo., for $14.2 million; and Nexus Construction Service Group of Cape Girardeau, Mo., for $14.2 million.

"This is a huge project for the city, especially the Parks Department," Foren said.

She was joined at the bid opening by Parks and Recreation employees, project engineers and representatives for several general contractors and subcontractors.

Before awarding a construction contract, city officials must verify bidders met all specifications for the project.

The city is allowed to consider bids no more than 25 percent above the project budget.

Crossland was the only company to fall within those parameters in its base bid.

Connie Edmonston, Parks and Recreation director, said, "We're excited. (The bids) came in a little over what we had hoped, but hopefully it's something we can work out."

Of the $10.7 million that had been set aside for the first phase of the regional park, approximately $3.6 million is available in hotel, motel and restaurant tax-backed bonds city voters approved in November 2013. The remainder will come from the city's parks development fund, which also relies on hospitality taxes; the parkland dedication fund, which uses fees levied on private developers; and Transportation Improvement Bond Program money voters approved in 2006.

Edmonston said city officials will try to lower the project price tag by negotiating with bidders in the coming weeks. Otherwise, they'll have to scale back the project or come up with additional funding sources.

The first phase of the park, as designed, includes six soccer fields, four baseball diamonds, two concession stands with restrooms, a great lawn, playground, more than 470 parking spaces and associated infrastructure.

Crossland Construction in its bid documents estimated removing soccer netting, one of the baseball diamonds and the playground could save the city more than $400,000.

Parks officials have said the overall project, estimated at $28 million, will also include more baseball diamonds; softball fields; basketball, tennis and sand volleyball courts; a water feature or "splash pad"; new Parks and Recreation offices; and a maintenance facility. The park is planned on about 200 acres southwest of the Cato Springs Road interchange on Interstate 49.

Edmonston said she hopes a construction contract for phase I of the park will be up for City Council approval March 3.

Phase I construction is expected to begin in early April and wrap up by the end of 2016.

NW News on 02/07/2015

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