CU officials said the cost overruns resulted from a number of factors, including a short timeline for completion due to athletic schedules, weather issues and high turnover of CU and contractor staff.
"(The project) had a fast-tracked nature," said Kelly Fox, chief financial officer on the Boulder campus. "We really probably should've taken a step back and said 'We could use some outside help managing this project.'"
The campus also faced higher-than-expected costs for subcontracting, specialized labor and materials as the construction market began to heat up. The project turned out to be more complicated than it appeared during the planning process, Fox told the board.
New procedures in place
The campus also found weaknesses in its project negotiation and management process and paid consulting group McKinsey & Company $700,000 last fall to help improve its operations.
To address some of those issues, Fox told the board that the campus instituted project management training in January and created a contract management toolkit in December.
CU is hiring a new vice chancellor for infrastructure and safety and is instituting a "stage gate" construction process based on the consulting group's recommendation.
"You will see us spending more time on the front end defining our capital projects in the future," Fox said. "We'll spend a little bit more money up front to really understand the scope, the design needs and nailing that down before we bring that to you for approval. Throughout the process, then, there will be other checks that were not in place."
Bonds and fundraising
The campus financed the expansion by selling about $150 million in bonds. The athletic department is responsible for the project's cost and will make bond payments using donations and other revenue streams.
Chancellor Phil DiStefano said the athletic department expects to announce soon that it has raised between $85 million and $95 million for the project, though those numbers aren't final.
Through the end of November 2015, when the most recent fundraising update was posted online, the athletic department said it had raised $60 million for the project.
I think this facility is going to be huge for the T&F program. I mean, CU is synonymous with XC and distance events. But now we can attract the gamut of T&F athletes. As for football, it should really help if guys are more motivated to work.http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=600&ATCLID=210737494
Very good to hear that the number of voluntary workouts are up. Thats the kind of attitude we need to keep all the way through fall camp.
Why are you not in Grand Forks?Took a tour yesterday, the facility is world class. None of the pictures do the project justice.
Spring break with the girlfriend.Why are you not in Grand Forks?
Spring break with the girlfriend.
Do you carry on your girlfriend or check her with your luggage when traveling?
Has this thread run it's course for the time being?
we aint done yet!
we aint done yet!
"Franklin" updates are out looks like prices are going up and available slots down to the 100-120 range. That we'll have reserved spots around the practice field, IPF parking and be able to store/rent equipment at CU.