The longstanding and at times violent protests against Atlanta’s planned police and firefighter training center are partially responsible for a nearly $20 million rise in costs connected to the project, city officials said.
The 85-acre (34-hectare) project, which critics call “Cop City,” is now expected to cost $109.65 million, up from a previous estimate of $90 million, Atlanta Deputy Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burkes told City Council members on Wednesday.
Atlanta has already committed $67 million toward the project, but Burkes emphasized that taxpayers would not be on the hook for the newly incurred security, insurance, legal and construction costs. She said that money already set aside for contingencies, as well as private donors to the nonprofit Atlanta Police Foundation, would pay for the costs. The foundation is leading construction of the project.
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