Alameda staff to ask council to award aquatic center contract despite $5 million bid shortfall

The Alameda Recreation and Park Department will ask the City Council on June 16 to award a construction contract for the long‑planned aquatic center even after bids returned about $5 million higher than the amount budgeted, Director Justin Long said at the commission's May 14 meeting.

"The estimate for the aquatic center is about five million more than had been budgeted," Long told commissioners, adding that staff are working with council and city management on options for meeting the shortfall. He said staff expect to mobilize in July and anticipate a two‑year construction duration once work begins.

The project as bid includes a 30‑meter competition pool, an activity pool, a full scoreboard and what Long described as a 16‑by‑9 LCD wall on the mechanical building for programming and public messaging in partnership with AMP. Long said the department will bring the contract for award to council on June 16 and then proceed with construction preparations.

Commissioners pressed staff about contingency plans if construction runs longer than two years. Long said the city's contracts include constructible‑day counts and potential penalties and that the design team modeled a conservative schedule, but cautioned that weather and standard construction risks remain.

Parking around the new facility remains under study. Long said the city contracted a parking consultant and will bring a parking study and options to council on June 2, offering two layouts the study examined — one with about 50 spaces and another with about 67 spaces — and noting discussions with adjacent property owners.

Long framed the project as a major capital investment for the city and said construction mobilization will be a heavy lift for department staff, who will be involved during the build and into the facility's opening.