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Lucas County Ballpark Construction Involves Minority Workforce & Business Participation
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Lucas County Ballpark Construction Involves
Minority Workforce & Business Participation
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The new Lucas County Ballpark under construction in downtown Toledo is
showing favorable signs of participation from minority-owned businesses, and minorities
and women in the overall construction workforce.
According to construction work-hours compiled through June 2001, minorities
and women comprise 21% of the total hours spent on the Lucas County Ballpark project.
Seven of the twelve contractors currently working at the ballpark site have retained
subcontractors or suppliers who are qualified Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs), as
certified by the City of Toledo, State of Ohio, or the Northern Ohio Minority Business
Council. Two other prime contractors have not yet begun their work on the ballpark site.
"We are pleased with the numbers of minority-owned businesses involved with
the ballpark, as well as the numbers of construction workers who are minorities and
women," said Sandy Isenberg, President of the Lucas County Board of Commissioners.
"We purposely set our goals high in this regard, because we wanted to exceed the
historical levels of participation by minority-owned businesses on major construction
projects here in the Toledo area."
The Gant-Shambaugh Group is tracking minority business and workforce
participation on the Lucas County Ballpark project, as part of the company's role of
assisting the Lathrop Company as construction manager. The Gant-Shambaugh Group
recently filed an MBE/Workforce Participation Report on the Lucas County Ballpark.
"We as commissioners believe companies, large and small, should have an equal
opportunity to participate in major construction projects like the Lucas County Ballpark,"
said Lucas County Commissioner Bill Copeland. "We reached out to all segments of the
community on this project, to ensure everyone knew there was an opportunity to take
part. Sometimes it's tough for a smaller business to compete with larger, well-established
companies for bigger jobs that allow them to establish a reputation as a reliable supplier
or contractor."
57,247 workforce hours have gone into the construction of the Lucas County
Ballpark, as of the end of June. Of that number, 9,662 work hours involve minority
workforce participation, or 17%. Female construction workers have spent 2,474 hours on
the job site, or 4% of the total.
"You can stand on any street corner surrounding the Lucas County Ballpark and
see how those numbers translate into diversity among the workforce," said Lucas County
Commissioner Harry Barlos. "It's encouraging when you see how the construction
workforce reflects the diversity of our overall population."
Currently, there are approximately 180 construction workers on the Lucas County
Ballpark job site. At its peak later this summer, the construction workforce will number
around 200. Work is progressing on schedule, thanks to an extended period of dry
weather. The Lucas County Ballpark is scheduled to open in April 2002, in time for the
Toledo Mud Hens home opener next season.
You can check out ballpark fun facts, track the progress of construction through a
photo tour, and get other ballpark information at the Lucas County Commissioners
website, www.co.lucas.oh.us
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