Guaranteed Maximum Price of Chain of Lakes Park Phase II Construction Set at $24 Million
by James Coulter
The second construction phase of Chain of Lakes Park, which includes baseball fields, bleachers, and pavilions, will not exceed $24 million now that the City of Winter Haven has set a guaranteed maximum price.
At their regular meeting on Tues. Nov. 12, Winter Haven city commissioners voted unanimously to approve the first reading of an ordinance that would set the guaranteed maximum price for the Chain of Lakes Park Phase II at $24 million.
In 2023, the City entered into an interlocal agreement with Polk County, and they selected Rodda Construction to oversee the construction of baseball facilities at Chain of Lakes Park, which are expected to be online by February 2025.
According to the city memo for the agenda item, “the City Commission authorized the City Manager in June 2024 to issue multiple purchase orders, not to exceed $17 Million as portions of the project were ready for construction. To date, the City has issued $15,368,501 as incremental construction packages towards the project.”
Earlier this summer, the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) team (which is Rodda Construction) received final bids for the entire project, which indicates that the project had exceeded the $20 million that had been allocated for it.
Phase II of the project includes the construction of four collegiate artificial turf baseball fields, along with fan areas with shade, and pavilions. It also includes common areas for parking, perimeter fencing, landscaping, trails, restrooms, and other support areas.
City Manager T Michael Stavres stated that the baseball fields will be ready for play when the RussMatt Collegiate Invitational comes to town in late February. The other buildings will not come online until late summer. As such, temporary restrooms and food trucks will be provided during games.
The second reading will be hosted at a future regular city commission meeting.
