Examiner exposes that athletic complex 50 percent over budget

The article says that Dr. Thomas said the price was always $44 million and that people just don't understand how the construction process works. However, documents show that the original price that was presented to voters was $29.8 million.

This excerpt is partifularly interesting from the story: "The internal financial documents obtained by The Examiner show that Thomas approved a $14.2 million change order and cost increase on April 21, 2009. The notation was made electronically in a computer file that is not accessible by the public, despite promises made by Thomas that BISD would provide full disclosure to the public regarding how the district was spending bond money.


It also shows that Regina's temporary campus cost more than $4 million - NOT the $2.5 million number being thrown out. No wonder they want Sallie Curtis to go to Regina's portables! They went overbudget on that too.

The Examiner
BISD sports complex nearly 50 percent more than proposed

Financial documents outlining costs for the Beaumont Independent School District's multi-purpose athletic complex appear to indicate that the project is nearly 48 percent over the $29.8 million budget that was sold to taxpayers, who voted for the district's $389 million bond initiative in November 2007.

The cost of the project is now listed in excess of $44 million.

But BISD Superintendent Carrol Thomas says the complex was always planned to cost $44 million and the increase is due to architectural fees and other costs that were not itemized by Parsons, the project management company overseeing construction, when the plans were presented to the board in 2007.

"When you include all the inflation figures and all those things in there - that would be $43 read entire story here.