DIA is considering new formal compensation claims but hasn’t made them public
By Jon Murray | Denver Post
Mediation of potentially costly disputes over Denver International Airport’s terminal renovation project has effectively stalled out, as airport officials and the contracting team trade increasingly barbed attacks over safety risks and motivations.
That back-and-forth posturing, in a series of recent letters obtained by The Denver Post, bodes poorly for DIA’s relationship with Great Hall Partners. And it’s happening just as several long-running disputes involving huge potential cost overruns and delays on the $650 million renovation are set to come to a head soon.
The parties could seek outside help in resolving their issues, head to court or, in the worst-case scenario, terminate the contract — leaving up in the air the future of renovation work that has been inconveniencing passengers for months.
On DIA’s side, the recent letters about safety issues, alleged contract breaches and a litany of other accusations portray the consortium led by Madrid-based Ferrovial Airports as utterly dismissive of its concerns. DIA repeatedly has warned that workers and travelers are at “at serious risk of harm” from dangerous work site conditions in the busy terminal building.
But to hear Great Hall tell it, the airport is the party that’s vamping in dramatic fashion, by engaging in “a meritless, time consuming, and inappropriate letter campaign” over the last two weeks.
