Wollongong ratepayers are entitled to be angry that yet another cost blowout has occurred on that " bottomless pit of public money ", the Southern Gateway Tourist Centre at Bulli Tops.
This project - originally estimated to cost just $ 1.5 million - is nearing completion and has so far eaten a whopping $ 11 million of public money. Now it seems that there is a dispute about the " orientation of lettering " on a $ 20,000 sign recently erected. This will need dismantling and be reworked - at an unknown additional cost.
When a simple project soaks up an additional $8 million of ratepayers money, takes years longer to complete and the people responsible can't even get something as basic as the wording of a sign right it leaves a distinct impression of incompetence in people's minds.
There is an uneasy feeling that - when and if they manage to actually make the new opening date sometime in April - that this project will continue to be an ongoing drain on council funds.
What are the odds that it runs at a loss and needs regular injections of money to remain open ?
It certainly does nothing to instill confidence in council's ability to manage projects - and we are talking about either opening the Mall to traffic, or spending big money refurbishing this CBD icon.
We would need to think long and hard before putting trust on whatever estimate council offers for this work !
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