Independence, MO---

J.E. Dunn Construction Company is moving dirt on the proposed multi-events center at 19100 E. Valley View Parkway in Independence, and judging by the approval Monday night of an amendment to its original contract, the company is ready for more work.

The Independence City Council, in a 5-0 vote – Council Members Will Swoffer and Lucy Young were absent – approved a $12.7 million funding amendment to J.E. Dunn for the start of building excavation, augering and pouring of concrete supports and the ordering of structural steel for the 5,800-seat multi-purpose center. The total is less than original budget estimates, said Independence City Manager Robert Heacock, adding the scope of the project makes it necessary to approve several incremental portions of the single contract signed in April between the city and J.E. Dunn.

“What we tried to do was break the payments up in pieces so that we can have one contract with a couple of amendments that will allow us to get the best price possible for certain aspects of the work,” Heacock said. “We anticipate that there will be one more amendment coming forward in the next month that will be the final amount for structural excavation.”

In April, the City Council approved a series of contracts related to the design, construction and operation of the facility. J.E. Dunn was approved to construct the building.

“You have to have the excavation for your building site, you have the have the concrete for the foundation and the piles for the building to rest upon,” Heacock said. “The rest of the finishing structure, we can modify that and deal with alternatives to make it fit within the project’s budget.”

J.E. Dunn’s original contract with the city for site work was for $3.8 million. Officials with the city, J.E. Dunn and the project’s construction managment company, Benham Companies, are monitoring the cost associated with the contract amendments to ensure the project stays within budget estimates. Heacock said every aspect of the arena deal, including purchasing and developing land will total close to $68 million.

Groundbreaking on the project is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 12, Heacock said.