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Tennis center delayed by funding changes, city says substantial completion reached in June
Summary
City staff told council that the long‑running indoor tennis center project suffered multi‑year delays after state funding was reduced, redesigns were required and unforeseen electric relocation costs were incurred; staff said the project reached substantial completion June 10 and the city is closing out invoices.
City staff told the Zephyrhills City Council on July 14 that the indoor tennis center project, which began design in 2021, experienced multiple delays driven primarily by changing state appropriations and design revisions and is now substantially complete.
Public Works Director Shane LeBlanc and City Manager William Poe Jr. briefed council on the project’s history, saying the original state appropriation and later redesigns changed both scope and cost. Poe said an engineer's estimate at one point put the project near $7 million compared with an initial appropriation of about $4.66 million, and subsequent redesigns and grant timing—plus a governor’s action that pulled funds after hurricanes—required the city to adjust plans and budgets.
Shane LeBlanc explained some of the practical delays: a previously unknown power line feeding a nearby apartment complex had to be relocated at an unanticipated cost, a relocation that LeBlanc said was roughly $30,000 and which required coordination with Duke Energy. Construction supply delays including long lead times for steel and gym flooring also contributed to schedule slips.
On timing and budget: Poe said the project reached substantial completion on June 10; the contractor still must finish punch‑list items and deliver final invoices. LeBlanc told council that the city stayed within the guaranteed maximum price and that the State of Florida funded the appropriation ultimately used. Staff said remaining items include flooring delivery and final subcontractor invoices and that the city obtained an extension to close out grant documentation.
Council response: Several councilmembers expressed frustration with the multi‑year schedule and asked staff to identify ways to speed delivery of future projects, including using on‑call construction managers and improving preconstruction coordination with utilities and permitting agencies. LeBlanc and Poe said preconstruction meetings are held for major projects but recommended adding vendor vetting, greater upfront checklisting with affected utilities and on‑call CMAR (construction manager at risk) options to compress future procurement timelines.
Next steps: Staff said they will complete the punch list, finish final invoicing and present a closeout to council. Council asked staff to review procurement and project management steps to reduce schedule risk and carry forward lessons learned when designing future capital work.
