Board awards $227,005 pavilion project at JJ Moore Athletic Complex; two supervisors dissent over cost

Prince George County supervisors approved a contract award and project appropriation of $227,005.20 from the tourism fund for a new pavilion at JJ Moore Athletic Complex.

Parks and Recreation staff presented a 40-by-30 pavilion design and said the invitation for bid produced four responsive bids with Premier Roofing (a Prince George firm) the low bidder at $210,355; Parks staff added $16,650 for picnic tables and trash receptacles to arrive at the requested project appropriation.

Several supervisors questioned the overall cost and urged value engineering or alternative shading approaches before committing to the high-end specification; one supervisor asked whether the county could solicit design‑build input or bid alternates to identify lower‑cost options. “I really am curious about value engineering,” one supervisor said, noting sticker shock at cost per square foot and asking staff to explore alternatives in future procurements.

Despite the objections, the motion to award passed on roll call by a 3–2 margin (Supervisors Hamill and Ford Pugh voted no). The contract award will proceed with staff managing the construction and purchasing specified site furnishings.