Broward County has stirred up controversy by handing a $29 million contract to Magnum Construction Management (MCM), the very same company involved in the 2018 Florida International University (FIU) pedestrian bridge collapse that tragically claimed six lives. The contract, unanimously approved on February 6, tasks MCM with revamping the baggage-processing area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, as reported Miami New Times.
This latest deal features a $24.7 million base price and additional allowances amounting to $4.3 million. MCM is expected to quickly begin to oversee a suite of subcontractors in charge of demolition, concrete work, electrical, plumbing, and air-conditioning. This hefty project shows a striking vote of confidence from county officials, despite MCM's past marred by the FIU disaster and numerous safety violations, as detailed in a recent post on X.
NEW: Magnum Construction Management (MCM) — the builder behind the fatal FIU bridge collapse — has won a $29 million contract for improvements at @FLLFlyer https://t.co/q60KwoLwv2
— Alex DeLuca (@AlexLDeLuca) February 7, 2024
Known originally as Munilla Construction Management, the company rebranded after filing for bankruptcy protection months subsequent to the FIU bridge collapse. In an October 2019 report, the National Transportation Safety Board revealed Munilla shared the blame alongside other contractors and entities for not halting the bridge's construction or closing the area underneath after cracks were found in the structure. The ultimate reason for the collapse was nailed down to design flaws and engineer miscalculations by FIGG Bridge Group.
With over a dozen safety violations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on its record for projects in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Texas prior to the bridge failure, MCM's latest contract raises eyebrows and questions about accountability and due diligence in the contracting process. Broward County's decision to grant this contract to a company with such a history of safety concerns, as Miami New Times reported, continues to draw significant public scrutiny and debate.
