Construction disputes delay Fort Riley hospital opening

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says disagreements between the construction contractor and the government over final inspections of Fort Riley’s new hospital sparked the latest delay in its opening.

But the contractor who built the hospital said Friday it is working to complete items that have no bearing on the hospital’s opening.

The hospital was originally set to open in 2012 to replace Irwin Army Community Hospital, the oldest Army hospital in the nation. Now a planned opening in mid-January has been scrapped.

Political pressure is building to finish the work – even if that means issuing new construction contracts to get it done.

Sen. Jerry Moran says he is meeting with the Corps this month to determine what it will take to get the hospital up and running.