Posted on Sat, Jan. 06, 2007

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Contractor extends deadline on terminal

County given time to work on changes

By Lisa Fleisher and Travis Tritten

The Sun News

The lead contractor on a proposed new Myrtle Beach airport terminal agreed Friday to freeze the price for construction through January.

The extension of the Jan. 17 deadline means Horry County officials will have a bit more breathing room to prepare for a Jan. 25 meeting before a Myrtle Beach review board, when officials must present revised terminal plans.

"I had absolutely no confidence that we would be able to extend [that deadline]," County Council Chairwoman Liz Gilland said. "That was great news."

As a result of the new deadline, the county canceled a do-or-die council vote that had been slated for Jan. 16, as well as a special workshop it had scheduled for Tuesday.

The terminal project was thrown into a tailspin in December when the city's Community Appearance Board rejected parts of the plans. The airport, which is run by the county but is within city limits, needs the board's approval to get building permits.

The move shocked Horry County officials and jeopardized the $182.98 million figure that the lead contractor, Skanska USA, said was the most the county would pay for construction.

The extension will not add any costs to the $228 million projected total cost, Gilland said.

On Thursday, the board gave the county an ultimatum: Accept a special meeting on Jan. 25 and present a completed, updated project, or go to court.

That presented a problem for the county: The price quote from contractors was only good through Jan. 17.

If the board had not agreed to hear the plans again, county officials said the terminal project would have been dead. The Appearance Board, which has broad and subjective powers, is appointed by City Council, but appeals of its decisions go to circuit court.

County officials have said it would be impossible to keep the project on life support while wading through the legal process.

Board Chairman Larry Bragg said during Thursday's meeting he was sure the deadline would be flexible on such a major project.

"You know good and well if you're putting that kind of money into something, you can always get an extension," Bragg said Friday after he heard about the new deadline. "It does not make sense that someone wouldn't give them a little more time, a week or two."

Gilland said she may have to schedule a special County Council meeting between the Jan. 25 board meeting and the Jan. 30 Skanska deadline for a vote on the project.

Terminal supporters still face several obstacles.

To comply with the board's demands - which include reinstating architectural features to make the building more "iconic" - the county will likely have to pay architects to alter blueprints and for property to construct a new road.

The county still does not know the cost of the changes.

"I know with the changes, we will have to pay more," Gilland said.

The question is, how much more? Skanska, which is coordinating all contractors on the terminal project, will be working in the days leading up to the Appearance Board hearing to determine how expensive the additions and changes will be.

Skanska did not return repeated calls for comment.

The county will meet next week with Bragg to clarify what the review board expects from the county.

Gilland said Bragg's list of requests is "vague" and Skanska was uncertain what it meant.

Pricey changes could put more pressure on an already uncertain final vote from the County Council.

Council members have always kept a close eye on costs. Over the years, features have been slashed to keep the price tag down.

To comply with the Community Appearance Board's demands - which include reinstating architectural features to make the building more "iconic" - the county will likely have to pay architects to alter blueprints and for property to construct a new road.