El Paso County Commissioners Court votes to begin contract negotiations to complete Sportspark project

County Judge Veronica Escobar, left to right, along with commissioners David Stout and Andrew Haggerty, listen to city Rep. Carl Robinson during Monday's meeting of the El Paso County Commissioners Court. Newly elected commissioners Stout and Haggerty took part in their first meeting. (Victor Calzada / El Paso Times)

The El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday voted unanimously to initiate contract negotiations with Carl Daniel Architects to complete the troubled Sportspark project.

If a contract is reached, Carl Daniel Architects will oversee the pending construction at the 45-acre Sportspark, 1780 N. Zaragoza. Renovation of the sports complex was supposed to be completed in August 2013, but construction and legal problems with the former contractor and architect stalled the project.

Carl Daniel Architects was selected over ARTchitecture, another company that applied for the job that has built area schools and other city projects.

Kennie Dawning, the county's purchasing agent, said Carl Daniel Architects, a local company, is uniquely qualified to provide the service to the county because Steve Franco, who the company is proposing as the project manager, was the project manager for the original Sportspark built in 1986.

"He has all the records, drawings as a reference point, and any other documents from the original construction," she said.

Carl Daniel Architects was a project manager for the 16-acre Sunland Park Sports Complex, which is similar to the Sportspark, Dawning said. Franco also designed the El Paso County Community College athletic field for baseball and softball, she added.

Franco attended Monday's meeting and told the Commissioners Court that his firm is ready to start negotiations Tuesday. County officials and Franco are expected to take a tour of the facility Tuesday as well.

"I know this is a very important project, not only for the county, but for the community as well," he said. "I'm very close to the project and we would like to go ahead and see it completed."

Downing said that by the end of January her department should be able to present a proposed contract to the Commissioners Court for approval.

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El Paso County Commissioners Court votes to begin contract negotiations to complete Sportspark project