KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City councilman is raising questions about Edgemoor after discovering the company is behind schedule and over budget on another airport project.
Kansas City Councilman Scott Wagner said that he did some checking on Edgemoor's performance on an airport project in Seattle, Washington. Edgemoor executives responded saying the delays and cost over-runs in Seattle are not their fault.
Wagner said he checked with Seattle airport and city officials to evaluate Edgemoor's performance there in three areas.
"Did you come in within budget? Did you come in on time? And did you actually have drawings ready to go when you were supposed to? To me, those are three very typical questions to ask... and in all three of those cases... what I have heard come back is 'no, no and no,'" said Wagner.
Geoffrey Stricker, Edgemoor Managing Director, explained that Edgemoor is not the developer on the Seattle airport project; they are simply carrying out the wishes of airport executives. Stickler also confirmed that projects were added which cost extra money and added more time to complete the project.
"There was an ask for an increase of 25 percent of the baggage handling system. There was an ask to put an emergency generator backup system power into the project, which previously had not been requested," explained Stricker.
The Edgemoor executive said SEA-TAC wanted a facial recognition system which means columns had to be moved. He said they also discovered a chemical in the land and had to remediate, which cost extra time and money.
Wagner said extra money was added to the budget for the added projects. Wagner claims Edgemoor exceeded the new budget.
"They're now $100 million over-budget from where they expected to be and that was identified last year," Wagner added.
The Kansas City, City Council is expected to vote Thursday afternoon on a proposed Memorandum of Understanding with Edgemoor to transform KCI into a single terminal airport. Wagner would only say, he plans to vote in the best interest of Kansas City residents.
