Odessa council approves SportsMed contract, sets $140 million cap and 10% contingency

The Odessa City Council voted unanimously Oct. 2 to authorize execution of a contract with SportsMed Properties for construction of a sports complex and set a maximum project budget of $140,000,000 with a 10 percent contingency.

The vote followed an extended discussion during which council members and staff identified technical contract issues to be resolved before final execution, including clarifying the project scope (building square footage versus fields and ballparks), specifying governing law, setting insurance minimums and defining authority for change orders.

Council members pressed for precise language on scope after the contract text described the project as “approximately 156,818 square feet,” while staff said the building itself is about 140,000 square feet and that the larger number likely includes outdoor fields and ballparks. City staff said language from the project request-for-qualifications that includes the fields can be inserted into the contract to clarify scope.

Council members also flagged a…