Airport Officials Tell City Council They'll Need Another $2.5 Million

The Colorado Springs City Council got some bad news from Aviation Director Greg Phillips about repairs that are underway at the Colorado Springs Airport (KCOS).

They're going to have to come up with another $2.5 million, boosting the overall cost of the repairs to $7 million.

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that the airport was damaged in April when roofers using propane torches to repair hail and wind damage on the terminal ignited a three-alarm fire. The airport was temporarily closed due to the damage.

Initially, repairs were estimated at about $5 million, but Phillips said that "as we've peeled the onion back layer by layer, we've found more and more damage."

Chris Wheeler, the city's budget manager, said the previous costs had been paid through insurance claims, and the extra money will also be paid using insurance. Phillips said that not a penny of airport funding has been spent on the repairs.

Some airport workers have been able to move back into their offices, and the project is expected to be completed by mid-November.

FMI: Source report