Council weighs rebid, descoping or abandonment after Sky Corral runway bids exceed city funds
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Summary
Public Works reported a $444,000 base bid (or $577,000 with add‑ons) for relocating the Sky Corral model‑aircraft runway; councilors questioned prior $100–$200k estimates, the absence of revenue under the current no‑fee permit and broadly favored competitive rebidding and asking stakeholders to contribute.
Andrew Hayes, director of Public Works, briefed Pueblo City Council on the Sky Corral model‑aircraft runway, located outside city limits along Medal Of Honor Boulevard on property controlled by a conservation easement. Hayes said county and city agreements and a prior county pledge of $50,000 and an expected private donation had been part of earlier financing plans.
Why it matters: The existing east–west runway sits a few hundred feet from the newly built Medal Of Honor Boulevard, raising safety and insurance concerns for continued flying under the current alignment. The city must decide whether to rebid the relocation under competitive bidding, descoped the project to reduce cost, or abandon the effort — which would likely require terminating Sky Corral’s no‑fee permit and could preclude further flying.
Hayes said bids returned this fall showed a base runway bid of $444,000 and total project bids of about $577,000; the city has roughly $400,000 available if a private $100,000 donation and budget appropriations are realized. Several council members reacted strongly to the gap between earlier estimates (discussed previously in council materials) and current bids: one council member said "there's a lot of baloney going on" over the change in expected cost. Hayes attributed the higher number mainly to expensive earthwork in the estimates, not asphalt, and told council competitive rebidding could produce better pricing.
Council discussion also considered the permit structure and revenue: Hayes noted the Sky Corral Club currently operates under a no‑cost city permit and suggested council could amend the permit to impose fees or seek contributions from the club to offset maintenance or capital costs. Multiple councilors asked staff to rebid the project competitively and to invite Sky Corral leadership to present data on economic impact and visitors when new bid results are available.
No formal decision was made. Council signaled majority support for rebidding under a $400,000 baseline and asking for additional stakeholder input; any further work will depend on future bids and funding decisions.
