Board of control to weigh 14 change order proposals

By DAVID SKOLNICK
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The city's board of control is expected Thursday to consider $212,144 worth of change orders for its convocation center.
Of the 14 change orders to be considered by the board, 13 are for cost increases.
If the 14 proposals are approved, the board of control would have made 67 change orders, of which 55 increase the cost of the project since early September.
Overall, these change orders total $519,884 for the facility that officially opened last Saturday and will hold its first paid event Saturday, a concert by 3 Doors Down.
The center's budget provides for a $1 million contingency. The center's construction cost is estimated at $45.38 million, but a final number won't be available until December.
Notable items
The largest increase on the board's Thursday agenda is a $138,237 increase to A.P. O'Horo of Liberty. The company is providing the facility's concrete, installing stilts and providing a small amount of steel. The change order is for modifications of the center's concrete foundation.
The only proposed cost decrease for Thursday's meeting is $10,000 to GQ Contracting, a Cleveland company handling the facility's fireproofing work. Also on the board's agenda are three requests for cost increases to GQ totaling $33,209. If all four proposals are approved, GQ would get a net increase of $23,209.
Also, the board will consider approving agreements made between Global Entertainment Group, the arena's manager, and various companies.
The agreements provide $371,050 in cash for the arena and $86,500 worth of trades.
One trade is with the Holiday Inn MetroPlex in Liberty. The hotel will provide $15,000 worth of hotel stays and $15,000 in cash in exchange for signs, six club seats and electronic advertising at the arena, and the designation of being the center's official hotel.
skolnick@vindy.com