By Renata Cló, Maritza Dominguez | Arizona Republic
The cost to open an aquatic center with pools, a lazy river and water slides in Avondale has ballooned to $30 million from an initially anticipated $16 million to low $20 million.
In Scottsdale, upgrades to the outdoor space around Civic Center now sit around $32.5 million, which is a $5 million hike.
Local leaders blame it on a mix of inflation, material delays and labor shortages.
Municipalities are experiencing the same inflation that is making your trips to the grocery store or projects around the house pricier. Inflation is at a 40-year high with rising costs for labor, materials and transportation.
Inflation in Phoenix is outpacing the nation. Valley consumers saw the overall cost for items from food to gas rise 10.9% in February compared to a year ago, while the national average was 7.9%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The U.S. Labor Department on Tuesday released March figures showing the consumer price index leaped 8.5% annually.
