Shortly after determining that the annual operating subsidy would be about twice as much for the new aquatics center as anticipated, County Manager Barbara Donnellan made another startling disclosure about the project. Construction bids came in "significantly higher" than estimates, so she would not be bringing the construction contract to the County Board in early 2014 as expected. Now county officials have launched an investigation to determine why the bids were so high and what the county's next steps should be."The high bids were particularly disappointing because the county had done extensive due diligence to ensure that the estimate was sound and within the available budget," said Donnellan in a written statement. "We took an additional step of contracting separately with an engineering firm to review design and construction documents and provide independent third-party cost estimates."Back in 2012, voters approved a bond measure allowing the county to spend $40 million on the design and construction of a 50-meter competition pool as part of a new aquatics center at Long Bridge Park, near the border with Alexandria near the site of the historic Long Bridge. Last month, county officials acknowledged that the annual operating subsidy was likely to be about $4 million, which is twice as much as the original $2 million estimate — largely because of staffing and maintenance needs were larger than anticipated. "This is something that happens all the time when we are working on projects," said Mark Schwartz, deputy county manager. "We refine the estimates, and I will promise you that the numbers will change again."THE LONG BRIDGE Aquatics, Health and Fitness Facility has been designed to be an regional draw to Arlington, that could host international competitions. In addition to the 50-meter competition pool, the facility will have teaching, family and therapy pools as well as "wet classrooms" and "party rooms." Donnellan describes the center as an "ambitious project" to transform a "once-industrial wasteland" from a brownfield to an "iconic gateway.""This pool was being built to international specifications specifically to make sure it would be an East Coast critical site for hosting national and international meets," said Frank Shafroth, director of the George Mason Center for State and Local Government Leadership. "So you're really competing against pools in North Carolina, Florida, Indianapolis and California in this county as well as Mexico City and places like that across the country."Shafroth says the revised budgeting might involve charging more for people to use the facility, which would offset the operating cost to taxpayers. For now, though, county officials have to figure out why construction bids were so high. Although Donnellan called the cost differential as "significant," county officials say the Virginia Public Procurement Act prevents them from detailing the numbers."Those bids are still open, so if we were to say anything about it we would be in violation of the code of Virginia," said Schwartz. "And you wouldn't want us to do that."IN THE NEXT few weeks, Donellan will present her proposed operating and capital budget to County Board members, initiating the budget season of public hearings and debate. Budget officials say the county is facing a potential budget gap of $20 million to $25 million in the next fiscal year, which will mean projects like the aquatics center and the streetcar proposal are certain to take center stage."I think we should circle back to our community and have perhaps a difficult but I think very important conversation and discussion about the aquatics center — how it will benefit Arlington, and what it will cost — before we move forward," said County Board member Libby Garvey in her New Year’s Day speech last week.
