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Sky Harbor delay in construction causes costly consequences for the city

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Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014

By Sydney Schuman

PHOENIX –

CHASE GOLIGHTLY/CRONKITE NEWS: A delay in construction at Sky Harbor is having costly consequences on the city. The delay is extending the project’s timeline and the budget. Cronkite News reporter Sydney Schuman talked with a city official to find out more about these changes.

SYDNEY SCHUMAN/CRONKITE NEWS: Talks about construction on Sky Harbor’s Terminal Three have been in the works for almost a year and a half, but one week ago council members decided to delay that construction by two weeks, which will cost taxpayers an additional $1.9 million.

JIM WARING/VICE MAYOR OF PHOENIX: Well I didn’t decide to delay it I actually voted to move the project forward. The four of us did; Thelda Williams, Sal Diciccio, Bill Gates and myself voted to move the project forward. Five other members, including the mayor, voted to delay the project.

SYDNEY SCHUMAN/CRONKITE NEWS: The $650 million project was supposed to break ground on Monday, but Councilman Michael Nowakowski suggested the delay, citing concerns about cost and that construction would disrupt airport travel during the holidays and Super Bowl. He asked for more time to review the project. Waring thinks these concerns should have been aired a long time ago.