$3M over budget: Dayton to rebid downtown music pavilion

The city of Dayton is rebidding the downtown Levitt music pavilion project after receiving only one response that was more than $3 million over the original estimated construction cost.

The city went out for bids in July for a new, state-of-the-art music amphitheater for Dave Hall Plaza, the park located just north of the Crowne Plaza Dayton.

The venue, called the Levitt Pavilion Dayton, will host at least 50 free shows each year, and supporters were able to raise the $5 million needed to begin construction on the pavilion in record time.

RELATED: Dayton tops L.A., Denver as fastest to $5M fundraising for pavilion

But the city of Dayton only received one response to its bid invitation to build the venue.

Leo B Schroder Inc. submitted a base bid of nearly $7.7 million, which is far higher than the city’s estimated construction cost of about $4.6 million.

The pavilion will be rebid, and supporters are optimistic that there will be multiple bids that are in line with the cost estimate, said Jeff Ireland, a local attorney and board chair of Friends of the Levitt Dayton.

RELATED: Downtown pavilion gets green light for bids

Ireland said they do not believe the rebidding will have much impact on the construction schedule, which calls for shows beginning in June of next year.

“We … have every reason to believe we will open next summer as planned,” Ireland said.

MORE: Get a peek at new downtown Dayton outdoor music pavilion

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