Sports complex completion delayed until at least February

By LOU ANTONELLI
Editor-in-Chief

The Mount Pleasant City Council Tuesday night approved a change order to the contract for the construction of the new sports complex, moving the completion date ahead to February.

Interim City Manager Ed Thatcher said the project was originally slated to finish up in October, but the contractor – MHS Planning and Design – needs more time.

The delay has mostly been caused by the weather, he said. “We’ve had tons of rain during the past year.”

Among the work that’s behind, construction hasn’t started on the concession stand, he said.

Speaking as a citizen, Alford Flanagan asking how much is set aside in the park’s plans for fencing. Thatcher said there are no current plans to fence the park.

Flanagan said the city will spend a lot of money because of hog damage.

Thatcher noted it was apparently decided not to fence it when it was being designed.

At 146 acres, it would be “pretty expensive” to enclose it, he said.

Council member Sherri Spruill said “we should at least get an estimate.”

Director of Building and Development Eddie Perritt said “we know we will have a problem.”
He suggested the city may investigate just fencing around the playing fields.

The council voted to amend the construction contract and give MHS until Feb. 27, 2020 for completion.

Perritt said he wouldn’t be surprised if completion was pushed back later than that because of having put new grass in place.