Committee Gives Green Light for Miami Airport Project Management Change

June 9, 2005
Miami-Dade County commissioners moved toward approving a deal that would hand the problem-plagued and over-budget North Terminal project over to a new construction management company.

Miami-Dade County commissioners moved toward approving a deal that would hand the problem-plagued and over-budget North Terminal project over to a new construction management company.

The contract -- which would install Parsons Transportation Group and Odebrecht Construction on the Miami International Airport project, was recommended for approval at Wednesday's regional transportation committee -- which is comprised of county commissioners. But representatives of the current construction manager, Turner Austin, complained that the company was unfairly precluded on bidding on the new contract -- initially put out to bid by American -- and said the county should give them a shot at competing as well.

Last month, Miami-Dade officials took steps to take control of North Terminal project at the county-owned airport, replacing American Airlines at the project's helm. The decision came after months of negotiations between American and the county officials, but the commission has to approve the takeover. The full commission will also have to vote on the Parsons/Odebrecht deal.