Dade City commission awards amphitheater design-build bid to Beauregard, 5-0

The Dade City Commission voted 5-0 to award the design-build bid for the city amphitheater to Beauregard, with staff directed to return with contract details and phasing options.

City staff presented two proposals in response to the city's request for proposals. City Manager Van Ervin told the commission that the project is budgeted for $175,000 in the 2024–25 capital budget and that proposals included optional elements that could be removed or phased if the commission chose to do so.

Why it matters: Commissioners focused on practical details that will affect cost, durability and usability — how high the stage should be, whether a metal roof would create unwanted acoustic effects, what audiovisual (AV) equipment would be included, and how to protect or secure AV gear when not in use. Commissioners also pressed staff to include contract protections such as liquidated damages, phased milestones and formal review of any change orders.

Commissioners raised several concerns during discussion. Commissioner Cosentino said local musicians recommended a higher stage to protect equipment from rain and improve sight lines and questioned whether AV packages in the bids were specified enough. Van Ervin said the proposed stage footprint sits on a naturally elevated part of the park but that staff and potential contractors could explore roof and stage height options. Staff said AV equipment had been priced as an optional extra and could be phased in a later fiscal year; staff indicated rental agreements would place responsibility for routine care of AV gear on renters and noted staff had considered ways to secure equipment when not in use.

Commissioner Shive and others asked whether the commission could complete the stage and platform within the $175,000 budgeted amount. Van Ervin and staff said contract negotiations would address whether design fees and contingencies could be restructured or phased so the city could begin construction within this fiscal year and defer AV and other optional items to later budgets.

City staff and commissioners also asked that the contract include phased work, clear starting and completion dates, liquidated damages for delays beyond reasonable force majeure events, and a requirement that change orders above the policy threshold return to the commission for approval. The commission asked that benchmarks be written into any agreement so work moves steadily rather than stalling until the end of a contract term.

After discussion, a motion to award the bid to Beauregard passed on a roll-call vote, 5–0. Staff will return with negotiated contract terms, a timeline, and any phasing recommendations.

Votes at a glance: The commission voted 5–0 to award the amphitheater design-build bid to Beauregard and to authorize staff to complete contract negotiations and return with terms for commission approval.

What happens next: Staff will negotiate contract details with Beauregard, including scope adjustments for the $175,000 budget, liquidated-damages language, milestone payments, and how AV systems will be handled or phased.