Comptroller John Liu is looking into why golf course city is building for Donald Trump is riddled with delays and huge cost overruns. He is also looking into another Parks Consession, Tavern on the Green. (Photo: Michael Schwartz for New York Daily News)
Bronx
The city comptroller has begun looking at cost overruns and delays at the golf course the city is building for Donald Trump in the Bronx, the Daily News has learned.
Last Thursday, Comptroller John Liu sent city Parks Commissioner Veronica White notice that he was reexamining the agency’s handling of the project, which is behind schedule and has ballooned in cost to at least $97 million from $22.5 million.
The move follows the Daily News’ revelations Sept. 23 that high levels of methane gas were found in June and July at the edge of the site, which used to be a landfill.
City Councilman James Vacca (D-Bronx) has summoned government officials to a meeting next week to explain what effects the gas could have on the surrounding neighborhood.
Liu is reopening a 2007 audit by then-Comtroller William Thompson that found lax oversight by the Parks Department caused the city to lose $25 million in overpayments and potential earnings at the project.
On Thursday, Liu informed Parks that the audit “will determine whether the Parks Department carried out or implemented recommendations” from that prior audit.
The recommendations included tracking progress of the project against its start and completion dates, preparing an “itemized breakdown of all required activities” at the project and carefully monitoring all “invoices, canceled checks and other related documentation.”
Parks spokeswoman Vickie Carp did not respond to requests for comment about whether the agency had implemented the 2007 recommendations.
The Parks Department says the project is expected to cost the taxpayers $97 million, although The News found contracts assigned to the Ferry Point golf course totaling $120 million.
Carp also would not comment on that finding. Trump has agreed to spend $10 million himself on a clubhouse, and he’s negotiated a 20-year lease. The links are expected to open in 2014.
Read More:
New York Daily News - September 29, 2012- By Greg B. Smith
A Walk In The Park - September 23, 2012
A Walk In The Park - August 15, 2012
A Walk In The Park - February 4, 2012
A Walk In The Park - January 9, 2012 By Geoffrey Croft
A Walk In The Park - December 24, 2011 - By Geoffrey Croft
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