Culminating a process of more than one and a half years, Wildwood commissioners Monday awarded a $10.7-million contract for comprehensive improvements to Millennium Park.
The action came after two failed bid processes and construction company appeals. Commissioners rejected a final appeal at the special meeting.
City Manager Jason McHugh said the upgrades are part of the largest park and recreation project ever in Wildwood.
Kingdom Construction of Wildwood was hired over the objection of Carr & Collier of Leesburg, the second lowest bidder at $14.2 million.
Millennium Park along Powell Road is the city’s largest park and also home to the Wildwood Community Center.
The project includes demolition and replacement of paved services, including parking areas, road, cart paths and concrete sports pads.
Sports fields will be upgraded and a covered basketball court will be built along with tennis courts, a racquetball court and restrooms. Sewer and water lines will be replaced and lighting and electrical equipment installed.
After attorney Bryan Capps presented the case for Carr & Collier, commissioners said they could not justify the $3.5-million bid difference.
“Three-and-a-half million is nothing to sneeze at,” said Mayor Ed Wolf. “If the bids were a little closer, I could see the argument.”
Commissioner Joe Elliott agreed and Commissioner Julian Greene said he trusted the city manager’s recommendation.
In the latest round of bids, consulting firm CPH recommended Carr & Collier for the project because low bidder Kingdom Construction lacks experience with large projects. Two other companies submitted higher bids.
Kingdom appealed and McHugh said, after analysis, he was convinced the company could handle it. Although most of Kingdom’s projects are commercial, industrial and residential, he said the company received “glowing reviews.”
“We’ve are stewards of taxpayer dollars and there’s got to be a really good reason why we can’t award it to Kingdom Construction,” McHugh said.
Capps said he agreed with the recommendations of CPH and city staff that Carr & Collier was the lowest responsible bidder.
“A lot of contracting agencies get misled by shiny objects and baubles,” he said, adding that Carr & Collier was the only company to bid three times on the project.
In the first round of bids in mid-2023, the project was awarded to Earthscapes Unlimited for $10.9 million, but the company later was unable to work on the project.
Blackwater Construction Services of Gainesville won the second round with a bid of $8.8 million, but that contract was canceled last February when the company failed to post required bonds. Carr & Collier was the second highest bidder then at $12.5 million.
