Colorado Springs, GE Johnson near settlement in Pikes Peak Summit Complex dispute

Updated Tuesday, June 13, 2023:

The city of Colorado Springs will pay construction company G.E. Johnson a $2.95 million settlement, ending three months of back and forth legal allegations about work on the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex. 

A lawsuit between the parties was dismissed this week, following city council's unanimous approval of the settlement in early May.

In an email, Skyler Rorabaugh, manager for Pikes Peak - America’s Mountain, said the resolution will be paid out of enterprise funds – revenue earned during the course of conducting business– not from taxpayer dollars. 
In an emailed statement, a spokeswoman for G.E. Johnson said both parties see the settlement as fair.

A legal battle over construction costs related to the new Pikes Peak Summit Complex could wrap up soon. Colorado Springs City Council members unanimously approved a settlement between the city and GE Johnson this week. 

The actual dollar amount of the settlement is unclear although council approved an expenditure of at least $100,000. Court documents show the contractor increased its charge to the city by at least $1 million over the initial $60 million agreement, citing permitting delays, outdated information in a report about the geological conditions of the site and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

GE Johnson filed suit earlier this year alleging the city owed money for the project. The city countersued, calling some of the company's work unacceptable.

The original agreement included $60 million for construction of the 38,000-square-foot summit complex, expected at the time to be finished by the end of October 2020. The project took eight months longer to complete, opening in late June 2021. 

According to the city, the new summit complex was funded by a capital fundraising campaign, enterprise funds specific to the project, and revenue bonds. 

In emailed statements, both the city of Colorado Springs and GE Johnson said they anticipate finalizing the agreement in the near future.