European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 29, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                June 2007 stars and stripes Page 3 lawmakers blast of for Ramstein project delays by Leo Shane Iii stars and stripes Washington lawmakers and con Gressional investigators blasted air Force officials thursday for a total failure of management and oversight of the Stillin finished mall and hotel Complex at ram Stein air project officials live and work every Day next to the facility yet it is Over behind schedule and falling said Henry chairman of the House committee on Over sight and government the air Force has failed in its responsibilities to conduct proper planning and Over in testimony be fore the Danny director of installations for air forces eur acknowledged the service has made mistakes in the Foury Earold but blamed most of the Cost overruns and de lays on inefficient German contract the the pentagons largest single site construction in the was originally slated to be a million facility completed in april 2006 to serve troops passing through the air base and families living today the construction has no estimated completion Date and controversy surround ing its total Gardner said his office anticipates the final Bill will be just under the million air Force officials have budgeted for the but Gregory managing director of special investigations at the government accountability told the committee that estimate was Overly optimistic and in saying the total will easily top its hard to believe you can have an accurate estimate without having scheduled a completion he reports from the Gao and an air Force audit finished last week place much of the blame on the air forces decision to accept Kaiserslautern military Community Center Ramstein air Germany Square feet largest ongoing military construction project in the world 350room hotel nine eateries parking spots outdoor recreation Center includes a 25foot climbing Wall four movie Heaters ticket and Tours office Bookstore Day spa source air Force risky contracts and procedures Early in the and a failure to adequately Moni Tor Progress As time service officials opted not to use army corps of engineers to supervise the project despite a Lack of contracting and construction knowledge among its the reports and Only eight administrators were charged with monitoring Progress and handling Cost despite the projects Safe officials and Gardner said those issues Are not the reason for the major problems that have plagued under International German authorities were Given most of the site control for the and mis takes and possible illegal deals made by those contractors Lead to the current we had Trust in our contract ing Gardner under International they Are expected to build this within their own rights and own Respo Sibili the Gao report details numerous problems with the hotel and including severe leaks in the Vandal ism in unfinished rooms that went unnoticed by improper wiring in bathrooms and flammable sealant used near ovens in Kitchen lawmakers blamed the air Force for missing chances to catch those problems and criticized a decision to fast track contracts and construction de spite objections from other military Agen Christopher called it bizarre that officials didst ask More questions about More than 700 change or Ders seeking additional Dar Rell said he was baffled that others didst notice the project was behind schedule until just a few months before it the scheduled completion i dont believe youre going to do better next unless you Start out with a better attitude on How to handle these Issa email Leo Shane at  photos by Ben and stripes top construction workers Lay cabling in the future electronics Section of the Power zone in the Kaiserslautern military Community Center on thursday at Ramstein air Bottom Jurgen Seefeld trims a Small tree outside the front of the controversial Community which is still under mall contractor received award by Scott Schonauer stars and stripes Ramstein air Germany the design company blamed for some of the problems with Ramstein air bases delayed mall and hotel Complex last year received the air forces top award for ask internationale Archit ten und Ingen Eure a Mph of Germany received the 2006 air Force award for outstand ing design according to a press release in March faulty design and a complicated method of dishing out contracts to Small and midsize construction firms Are the chief reasons Given for the hotel and mall dubbed the Kaiserslautern Mili tary Community Center being behind in the press release highlighting the Gen Danny Gardner said the award was about people and Agen cies working fluently together towards a common director of installations and Mission support for air forces in testified thursday in Washington at a congressional when comparing the project to a foot Ball Gardner said ask was like a quarterback and the government like the when asked about the problems with the project in Rhineland Palati Nate state minister of finance Ingolf Deubel blamed design work and Coordie ask could not be reached for comment on Andrew the 435th civil engineering squadrons Mcc project told stars and stripes in april that design inaccuracies forced workers to do additional work to fix the but air Force press releases and inter Nal news stories Over the past two years do not mention some of the problems and the an air Force press re lease in september 2005 was titled Mcc construction on track even though officials knew the mall and hotel  open As soon As initially ceiling Heights for some stores didst the food court counters were in the wrong spot and the foundation for the escalator was a meter off the email Scott Schonauer at  Ramstein mall and hotel Complex timeline november 2003 construction August 2005 435th services begins with preliminary site Clearing for mall and hotel project initially scheduled for completion in december Squadron and army and air Force Exchange services officials say that mall and hotel Complex will open for business in april March 2006 the team building the Complex is awarded the air Force 2006 design award for an outstanding design August 2006 Kurtis 435th air base Wing says the Complex will open in late Spring he blames the poor weather and the Lack of a prime contractor As the reason for the april 2007 air Force project managers say the project will Cost 20 percent More than originally contracted due to they blame serious design problems and Lack of coordination among the dozens of project managers Hope the hotel will open before Christmas 2007 and the shopping portion will be ready in Early june 2007 House committee on oversight and government Reform holds hearing to examine the december 2004 ceremonial groundbreaking of the Landes Betriex Liege schafts und or lab a German construction management and contracting Agency is overseeing the january 2006 air Force officials acknowledge mall and hotel Complex would open later than initially anticipated due to contract and design april 2006 vandals use a paint roller to deface 240 of the 350 rooms in the causing in builders were forced to cover the rooms with a new Fresco february 2007 German police raid lab offices at Ramstein air base and downtown May 2007 government accountability office investigators visit Ramstein air base to investigate the stars and stripes