LA PLATA, Md. - Charles County Commissioners on Wednesday, May 23, unanimously awarded Skanska USA Building, Inc., the contract to build the Southern Maryland Stadium and Entertainment Complex near Waldorf, Maryland.
“After a series of bid submissions by eleven different respondents, the choice was narrowed down to two,” said Chuck Beall, Charles County Director of Capital Projects. “And, after close consideration, a review of cost cutting measures, and a vote from the Commissioners, the job was awarded to Skanska,” Beall noted. “We liked their (Skanska) presentation, their down-to-earth approach, and they were extremely qualified, as were all of the bidders, added Beall.
Skanska submitted a bid in the amount of $19,250,000 which will result in a total project cost of $25,650,000 (including an approximate $800,000 contingency). The work is to be completed within 365 days, and the Complex may be available for use for non-baseball events in the Winter of 2007-08, and baseball in the stadium would start in May or June of 2008.
Financing of the stadium will be split three ways with Charles County, Maryland Baseball LLC, and the State of Maryland, each contributing approximately $8.5 million. Charles County will be the sole owner of the facility.
Skanska USA Building Inc., is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. It is the fifth largest general contractor in the United States with its Washington, DC/Baltimore metro offices located in Rockville, Maryland.
Some examples of their recent large construction contracts in the DC area include the $288M Design-Build of the new Census Bureau Headquarters; the 440M Clinical Center at The John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD, the 16.6M University of Baltimore’s New Student Services Center, and the $46M University of Maryland/Universities at Shady Grove, Education Center III.
Some features of the new structure will include a 4,500 seat multi-functional entertainment complex and stadium. Baseball, football, soccer, lacrosse and other sports can be played on the field. In addition to the seating, there will be grassy overflow areas where patrons can enjoy games on blankets or in lawn chairs. The facility will also have an extensive playground and picnic grounds.
In addition, there will be 16 SkyBoxes, and several multi-function rooms that can be partitioned off to hold from 50-100 people. There will be generous food concessions throughout the facility, all affordable and family-friendly. As an entertainment complex, many different events can be held at the facility including concerts, movie nights on the big-screen scoreboard, jamborees, and non-musical events such as car shows and art fairs. During the winter months, patrons can enjoy ice skating and even slope skiing in the concourse area.
The Commissioners praised the work of Mr. Beall and his staff for bringing all the right components together. “I think Mr. Beall has done an outstanding job, to ensure that Charles County is in a win-win situation,” said Wayne Cooper, President, Charles County Board of Commissioners. An enthusiastic Commissioners Edith Patterson summed it all up with her encouraging words of “let’s play ball.”
The 43-acre site is located on Piney Church Road, south of Waldorf and close to Route 301 and Maryland Route 5. The site, with an appraised value of 1.5M, was donated to Charles County by a private corporation, and the land was transferred to the county in 2006.
The County Government says that there is no impact on established neighborhoods, and the project offers environmental benefits of reclaiming a former gravel mining site. A technical engineering evaluation of the location has been completed to include road and infrastructure improvements. Completion of such improvements will coincide with the completion of the entertainment complex. Water and sewer services to the facility are already designed and ready for construction.
Source: Charles County Commissioners