School Board Shocked as Price for Changes to New Stadium Project Doubles

School board members in Key West were shocked after the price for Key West High School's new football stadium and baseball complex nearly doubled. 

Expecting to approve a $2 million change in the price of the project, members attending a March 12 meeting were not happy when they were presented with a $4 million estimate for changes. 

According to Keys Weekly, the change order from Ajax Building Co. was for additional amenities the board had requested for the baseball team’s Rex Weech Field, including a new concession building with restrooms, a raised plaza area and a new entrance. 

Board member Darren Horan said at the start of the discussion that he would not approve the change. 

“So we have a smaller building and a less elevated plaza for twice what we originally thought it was going to be?” Horan asked Pat Lefere, the school district’s director of operations and planning. 

“Yes, that’s a fair assessment,” Lefere told him, adding that there were “some unforeseen costs” pertaining to sprinkler systems, the wastewater system and utility work.

“Well, in light of that. I’m going to tell everybody I’m not going to approve this,” Horan said. “I’m not going to approve it. Change orders in my mind, I can justify $500,000. But anything over a million dollars, that’s a substantial amount of money — $2  million more than we were told. I want to make sure that everything is on the level. We have people out there who can bring something different to the table, as opposed to just saying, ‘All right, this is what Ajax is going to cost. I can’t reconcile that. I don’t know if the rest of the board can, but for $4 million, I think we should go back out to bid for that.”

After a lengthy discussion on the matter, the board ultimately decided to postpone a decision until its April 9 meeting. If approved the total price of the project would reach $23.6 million.