DENVER — Denver International Airport (DIA) officials are seeking more than a billion dollars in additional funding to complete The Great Hall renovation project.
According to a Denver City Council Agenda for Dec. 15, there are four action items listed for discussion.
Resolution Item 21-1516 proposes amending a contract with Hensel Phelps Constriction Company by adding $900,000,000 for a new total of $1,265,000,000, and 1721 calendar days for a new end date of Dec. 31, 2028. The company would continue providing construction management and general contracting services for the Great Hall Project's completion.
>Video above from October: DIA celebrates construction milestone after two extra years and an extra $200 million.
Resolution Item 21-15167 proposes amending a contract with Jacobs Engineering, Inc. by adding $50,000,000 for a new total of $120,000,000, and four years for a new end date of Dec. 31, 2028. The company would continue providing program management for the Great Hall Project's completion.
Resolution Item 21-15168 proposes amending a contract with LS Gallegos by adding $50,000,000 for a new total of $78,000,000 and four years for a new end date of Dec. 31, 2028. The company would continue providing project management for the Great Hall Project's completion.
Resolution Item 21-15169 proposes amending a contract with Stantec Architecture, Inc. by adding $100,000,000 for a new total of $133,125,000 and four years for a new end date of Dec. 31, 2028. The company would continue providing architectural and engineering services for the Great Hall Project's completion.
In total, the items propose raising the budget for those contracts from about $365 million to nearly $1.6 billion.
All of the resolution items are listed as being proposed by DIA CEO Phil Washington.
A DIA spokesperson released the following statement when asked for comment on the request for additional funding Friday:
Denver International Airport is one of the fastest recovering airports in the U.S. and is expected to continue to grow, reaching 100 million passengers in approximately 10 years. As we prepare for this growth, it is essential that we complete this final phase of the Great Hall Project to enhance security, increase capacity and improve the passenger experience. We know there is never a good time for construction but the longer we wait, the more difficult it will be – for our passengers and for our airlines. This project is absolutely critical if DEN is going to remain a top airport and a strong economic engine for our state and region, while providing jobs and revenue for our region.
DIA celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of the Great Hall Project on Oct. 27 after it was plagued early on by issues related to contractors, budget and timing.
Phase 1 focused on Level 6 of the airport and also includes upgraded restrooms and 16,000 square feet of new space for passenger flow and security.
"This is an important milestone for all of us. Isn't this beautiful?" Washington said, while also pointing out that there's more work to be done.
Work began on the Great Hall Project in July 2018 to renovate the airport’s main Jeppesen Terminal to improve security and passenger flow, and to accommodate future growth.
This first phase was plagued by troubles early on, as DIA evicted the original contractor Great Hall Partners in August 2019 with the project about 25% complete. It sat mostly dormant for months until Denver-based Hensel Phelps Construction was brought on to complete the work and began its part in March 2020.
Phase 2 of the Great Hall Project started in July, and Phase 3 is in the planning process.
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