Drillers Ink Deal to Move Downtown

[cannon_fodder]

Inteller, correct me if I'm wrong... but it would be amazingly strange if you were racist against Asians.  Am I thinking correct on that?

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by cannon_fodder

Inteller, correct me if I'm wrong... but it would be amazingly strange if you were racist against Asians.  Am I thinking correct on that?

I'm not the one hurling the racism accusations.  You have me confused with Mr. Wakeford there.

[PonderInc]

So...about the drillers moving downtown...

[Oil Capital]

One construction bid... Zero financing bids

[JCnOwasso]

I am not sure if this is new topic worthy but here goes...

I thought the bids to this have came a little soon after the finalization of the lease, but thought maybe there was something else to the story that I was missing.

Generally i like to keep an eye on contracts/RFP/RFQ's ect because I like to know what processes they are using.  (I am a contracting junky... it is my day job).  However I really don't remember this popping up on my radar.  

Even if the stadium trust had established itself on or about 9/12 (the last time I can find where they had NOT been formed yet), and then proceeded to quickly put together an RFP for the stadium, that only leaves about 60days to do a 39.6 million dollar proposal.  Which is rather odd.  I have bid on several multi million dollar projects in my time, albeit a short, and 60 days is not alot of time to get everything put together and make sure that you have accounted for everything.  I would imagine that the acquisition lead time for this was even shorter.  Probably closer to 45days.  

Now I am not a construction professional, but I do remember my contractors taking a little time to bid simple roofing jobs, on already established buildings.  The would have to review drawings to make sure everything was correct.  Now this is not a roofing job, and I would bet there are more drawings then I could imagine (this is not a design build, and they want to break ground in Jan)...

Generally I am not a conspiracy theororist, but in this case I would say that logistically it would have been imposible to put together that kind of package in that short amount of time without inside knowledge or prior access to information.

Who are the citizen representatives (not affiliated with any major position or recognized "family" in tulsa) to the trust?

[cannon_fodder]

Wow, scary but the comments see to be right:

One bid - from a company essentially controlled by George Kaiser, who pushed for this deal, and owns the bank that will likely finance the deal.   Considering there was only one bid, that's scary.

Why only one bid?  We are in a slow down, you would think the same entities that just got down with the BOK would be interested.  Dallas is wrapping up major stadium construction.  U Tulsa just got done with a major renovation.  Okla. State just got done with major renovations.

There should be PLENTY of qualified contractors out there to bid on this.  Why only one bid?  Why only from a company that was created specifically for this project?

I don't like it one bit.  My corruption/bad deal warning light went off big time.

[JCnOwasso]

Also in saying that I mean that if they limit the amount of time in which multiple contractors can respond, generally they will not.  Specially if the contractor feels that there may be a "fix".  No reason to waste 200-500k on a bid that you might be losing to begin with.  (Don't laugh at that number either, I have worked with companies who have spent 1.5million to TRY and win a contract worth 35m)

[sgrizzle]

To me it sounds like they created a new entity and quoted up to the budgeted value, so the rest of the project can be lined out and get underway. They have less than 30 days until groundbreaking.

The upside is that if construction costs rise, the stadium trust takes no hit from it.

[JCnOwasso]

Yes, but this is another cost plus contract.  Did the Arena have a Not To exceed value?

While there is a Not to Exceed value, if the contractor cannot perform for that amount of money, what are they going to do?  Give the company a bad name?  I am pretty sure you are not going to see the Tulsa Stadium Construction Co. LLC bidding on projects for GreenBay or Denver any time.  

are they requiring performance/payment bonds?  Is there a Surity that will be required to finish the project if the contractor fails miserably?

I do find it quite humorous that the bid came in 400k under the well publicized budget figure for the stadium.  

Looks like Mayor Taylor will leave her financial mark (mistake) on downtown much like Lafortune did with the arena.

[TheArtist]

What I find interesting is that the bid is so close to the estimated cost because the original estimate was made before materials prices, steel, shipping, etc. dropped through the floor.

Either the newest plans called for something nicer and or larger than they originally had wanted when they came up with the estimate. Or that bid is too high. Or the original estimate, made when costs were much higher, was way too low.

[cannon_fodder]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

What I find interesting is that the bid is so close to the estimated cost because the original estimate was made before materials prices, steel, shipping, etc. dropped through the floor.

Either the newest plans called for something nicer and or larger than they originally had wanted when they came up with the estimate. Or that bid is too high. Or the original estimate, made when costs were much higher, was way too low.

Great point Artist.  Steel, concrete, copper wire/pipe, fuel needed in construction - all down 50% or more.  Yet the bid is off 1.2% from the estimate?

At least with the BOk Center costs actually did rise substantial.  Here they fall and we still see no benefit from it.

[godboko71]

As negative as I could be, I am going to just say I look forward to this new stadium and will have at least 4 season tickets.

[inteller]

quote:Originally posted by TheArtist

was way too low.

ding ding ding!  We have a winner!

[MDepr2007]

Who designed it and for how much was that ?
Did that winning company give out anything more than the 6 month old drawings already out there?

Even the kitchen table group did better in providing eye candy.....

[sgrizzle]

quote:Originally posted by MDepr2007

Who designed it and for how much was that ?
Did that winning company give out anything more than the 6 month old drawings already out there?

Even the kitchen table group did better in providing eye candy.....

I've seen detailed floorplans but no exterior shots.