The Aurora City Council on Tuesday evening approved a contract for roadwork along Farnsworth Avenue, Bilter Road and Church Road, much of it connected to the new Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort.
Aldermen voted 11-1 for a $19.5 million contract with low-bidder R.W. Dunteman Co., of Addison, for the roadwork.
Aldermen also approved about a $1.9 million construction engineering contract with HR Green, Inc., of Aurora, to oversee the work. The city has already worked with HR Green overseeing traffic studies done for the area.
Much of the work is tied to the Hollywood Casino-Aurora resort project underway, although the city has been planning for all the roadwork needed in that area through 2050, not just the casino.
In addition to the casino resort project, the city owns land further east on Bilter Road that will be developed, some into mixed uses, some into housing.
The $19.5 million was higher than the estimated $16 million the city had estimated for the work, which means officials are looking at truncating some of the work – changing some things and delaying others – to afford it.
The lone vote against the construction contract and the engineering contract was Ald. John Laesch, at large, who in the past has suggested the city could use money it got in a recent settlement to pay for much of that roadwork.
Laesch has said the city could possibly use $16 million in settlement money it got from Cyrus One connected to the project for its new data center on the far East Side.
He said if that money were put toward the road construction it would reduce the burden on the taxpayers.
The city does have some money already lined up for the roadwork. The casino itself has put forward $2 million for the roads as part of its redevelopment agreement with the city.
The city also has $2.5 million in federal funds committed to the projects and will be seeking more, officials have said. The tax increment financing district for the casino site could pay for some of it, too.
Also, the city will get an estimated $2 million to $2.5 million in interest off the proceeds from the $58 million bond issue the city passed as part of the casino redevelopment agreement.
The proceeds come from the fact the city has passed the bond issue already, but has not yet paid the casino the $50 million toward the overall $360 million project.
Payment will be done based on a series of benchmarks the casino must meet first. In the meantime, the city is earning interest off the proceeds.
Officials have said the city is hoping to have much of the roadwork done by Thanksgiving 2025.
slord@tribpub.com
