Iowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project — Bid Package No. 1 Acceptance Copyrighted
June 1, 2026
City of Dubuque CONSENT ITEMS # 10.
City Council
ITEM TITLE: lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project — Bid Package
No. 1 Acceptance
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending accepting of the Public
Improvements and authorizing the payment of$1,018,736.41
to Eastern lowa Excavating & Concrete, LLC of Cascade,
lowa for the lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project —
Bid Package No. 1.
RESOLUTION Accepting the lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt
Island Project — Bid Package No. 1 and Authorizing Final
Payment to the Contractor
SUGGUESTED Receive and File; Adopt Resolution(s)
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. MVM Memo lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project Bid Package No 1 Site
Demolition and Mass Grading Acceptance of Public Imp Const Contract
2. lowa Amphitheater - Bid Package No. 1 - Acceptance MEMO
3. lowa Amphitheater - Bid Pack No. 1 - Accepting the Project and Authorizing Final
Payment Resolution
Page 552 of 1000
Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project
Bid Package No. 1 (Site Demolition & Mass Grading)
Acceptance of Public Improvement Construction Contract
Project Number: 5575000022
DATE: May 27, 2026
City Engineer Gus Psihoyos is recommending City Council accept the Public
Improvements and authorize the payment of$1,018,736.41 to Eastern lowa Excavating
& Concrete, LLC of Cascade, lowa for the lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project
— Bid Package No. 1.
Bid Package No.1 included the demolition and removal of existing structures including
the dog kennel buildings, site clearing and mass grading for the amphitheater.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
�
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Anthony Williams, President & CEO, Q Casino & DRA
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Bob Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
Matthew Kalcevich, Parks & Recreation Director
Wally Wernimont, Planning Services Manager
Tracy Schadle, Administrative Support Professional
Page 553 of 1000
Dubuque
THE CITY OF �
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
DATE: May 26, 2026
RE: lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project
Bid Package No. 1 (Site Demolition & Mass Grading)
Acceptance of Public Improvement Construction Contract
Project Number: 5575000022
INTRODUCTION
The enclosed resolution provides for the acceptance of the Public Improvement
Construction Contract for the lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project - Bid
Package No. 1.
BACKGROUND
The City of Dubuque has previously applied for and been awarded a Destination lowa
Outdoor Recreation Fund grant administered by the lowa Economic Development
Authority (IEDA). Prior to the grant being awarded, city staff received an IEDA request
to consider a singular focus for the grant. Several outdoor recreation amenities were
included in the original grant application. City and Dubuque Racing Association (DRA)
staff chose to update the application with a singular focus of the outdoor amphitheater
(now called the lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island) as staff and the DRA felt it best
met the criteria of the Destination lowa Outdoor Recreation grant program and would
produce the strongest application in a very competitive pool of applications. On March
10, 2023 the City was notified of the grant award by IEDA and that the amount of grant
funding would be $3,000,000 with a local match of $12,442,961 for a total project cost of
$15,442,961.
Funding for the local match in the required amount of$12,442,961 is as follows:
G.O. Debt (Greater powntown TIF): $8,784,961
DRA contribution: $3,658,000
The project vision is to create Schmitt Island as "Dubuque's Gateway to Entertainment
and the Mississippi" and was set forth in a Schmitt Island Master Plan developed in
2014 and updated in 2017 and also in the Schmitt Island Placemaking &
Implementation Plan adopted in June 2017. The mission adopted for this exciting
project is to create "a connected island that welcomes visitors and the community to
recreation, entertainment and the outdoors." The City of Dubuque and the Dubuque
Racing Association (DRA) are partnering on this impactful project to create a unique
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and exciting gateway into lowa that will help grow the economy across the State, build
upon current outdoor recreational amenities already on the island, connect people to
new economic opportunities, and attract tourists from all over the nation.
The overall project addresses the master plan, creative placemaking goals, and a top
priority of the Dubuque City Council: increase foot traffic on Schmitt Island; build a
recreational landmark and create a gateway and the "front door" to lowa and Dubuque;
bring people to Schmitt Island; leverage island programming for economic development;
connect the island to Dubuque and the region; create a year-round destination; and
create opportunities for education.
The open-air performance amphitheater will attract "A" and "B" national acts, as well as
be a venue for local symphony, college and university perForming groups, nonprofit
events, and regional performances. The stage will be constructed with an "artful" stage
canopy that will help create a sense of place, enhance acoustics, and protect
performers from sun and weather. The amphitheater is planned as a versatile space to
host varied audiences and sized for regional acts of up to 2,500 people and for national
acts of 5,000 to 8,000 people.
The amphitheater will be accessed by ADA-compliant paths and trails connecting from
other places on the island. The amphitheater will be constructed to allow the City and
DRA to provide assistive technologies including I-Caption units (handheld closed
caption devices), assistive listening devices (headphones that amplify the sound on
stage), closed captioned performances, sign language interpreted performances, and
D-scriptive audio devices that provide a detailed account of all onstage activity.
The three main components of the outdoor amphitheater are:
• Open air shelter with stage that will accommodate varied audience sizes from
regional events of up to 2,500 people to national acts of 5,000 to 8,000 people
with built in flexibility that will open up the facility for a variety of events and
destination activities.
• Flexible open space to utilize the amphitheater for local events and activities in
addition to a concert series with the ability to host local food trucks and
experiential activities such as regional poetry events, arts and crafts festivals,
sidewalk chalk competitions, etc.
• ADA-compliant outdoor amphitheater with ADA compliant connecting spaces
leading to the amphitheater from other areas on the Island.
DISCUSSION
The lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project was bid as two separate contracts:
• Bid Package No. 1 (Demolition and Mass Grading)
• Bid Package No. 2 (Utilities, Paving & Amphitheater Stage)
Bid Package No.1 included the demolition and removal of existing structures including
the dog kennel buildings, site clearing and mass grading for the amphitheater.
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RECOMMENDATION
I recommend that the City Council accept the Public Improvements and authorize the
payment of $1,018,736.41 to Eastern lowa Excavating & Concrete, LLC of Cascade,
lowa for the lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project — Bid Package No. 1.
BUDGET IMPACT
The project cost for lowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project — Bid Package No. 1 is
summarized in the following table:
Description Cost Estimate Award Final Cost
Construction Contract $ 1,018,000.00 $ 819,676.45 $ 1,018,736.41
(Bid Package No. 1)
Contingency 101,800.00 101,800.00
Consultant Design Services 290,400.00 290,400.00 290,985.16
Construction Admin, Engineering & 62,000.00 62,000.00 155,000.00
Inspection
Total Project Cost Estimate $ 1,472,200.00 $ 1,273,876.45 $ 1,464,721.57
The current project funding summary is as follows:
Project No. Fund Description Fund Amount
G.O. Debt (Greater powntown TIF) $ 445,985.16
5575000022
DRA Contribution 1,018,736.41
Total Project Funding $ 1,464,721.57
The Destination lowa Grant funding is not paying for the construction costs for Bid
Package No. 1 (Demolition & Mass Grading) work because it is included in the local
match required for the overall lowa Amphitheater project.
The Urban Renewal debt issued through Greater powntown TIF is being repaid by the
Dubuque Racing Association (DRA).
Increased construction costs for the Bid Package No. 1 Project are due to additional
grading work associated with the project. Bid Package No. 2, which is currently under
construction, is being managed to align with the total Amphitheater project budget.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
The City Council is requested to adopt the attached resolution accepting the Public
Improvement and establishing the final contract amount for the lowa Amphitheater on
Schmitt Island Project— Bid Package No. 1 Project.
cc: Anthony Williams, President & CEO, Q Casino & DRA
Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Bob Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
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Matthew Kalcevich, Parks & Recreation Director
Wally Wernimont, Planning Services Manager
Tracy Schadle, Confidential Account Clerk
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Prepared by Nathan Steffen, PE, 50 W 13th St., Dubuque, IA 52001, (563) 589-4270
Return to Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk, 50 W. 13th St., Dubuque, IA 52001, (563)589-4100
RESOLUTION NO. 209-26
ACCEPTING THE IOWA AMPHITHEATER ON SCHMITT ISLAND PROJECT — BID
PACKAGE NO. 1 AND AUTHORIZING FINAL PAYMENT TO THE CONTRACTOR
WHEREAS, the Iowa Amphitheater on Schmitt Island Project — Bid Package No.
1 (the Project) which included the amphitheater site demolition and mass grading; and
WHEREAS, the Public Improvement Contract for the Project has been completed
by the contractor, Eastern Iowa Excavating & Concrete, LLC (Contractor), and the City
Engineer has examined the work and recommends that the Project be accepted; and
WHEREAS, the final contract amount for the Project is $1 ,018,736.41; and
WHEREAS, the Contractor has previously been paid $1 ,008,799.59, leaving a
balance of $9,936.82; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the recommendation of the City Engineer
should be accepted.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1 . The recommendation of the City Engineer is approved, and the
Project is hereby accepted.
Section 2. The Chief Financial Officer is hereby directed to pay the balance of the
retainage of $9,936.82 as provided in Iowa Code Chapter 573, and to pay such
retainage in accordance with the provisions of Iowa Code Chapter 573 or Iowa Chapter
26.13.
Passed, approved and adopted this 1st day of June 2026.
Brad M. C agh, Mayor
Attest:
Trish L. Gleason, Assistant City Clerk
CITY ENGINEER CERTIFICATE OF FINAL COMPLETION OF THE IOWA
AMPHITHEATER ON SCHMITT ISLAND PROJECT — BID PACKAGE NO. 1
The undersigned City Engineer of the City of Dubuque, Iowa, hereby certifies that
he has inspected the Chaplain Schmitt Island Trail Connection Project and work has
been performed in compliance with the terms of the Public Improvement Contract, and
that the total cost of the completed work is $ 1,464,721.57.
Dated this 1st day of June 2026.
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Filed in the office of the City Clerk on the 1st day of June 2026.
Trish L. Gleason, Assistant City Clerk