Rebid of Atlanta airport dirt deal goes to arbitration

ATLANTA - The city of Atlanta has agreed to arbitration in a dispute with a consortium that was awarded a $360 million contract to supply fill dirt for a new runway at Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport. <br> <br> The group called 5R Constructors, the sole bidder on the contract, filed a federal lawsuit after the Atlanta City Council voted in November to initiate a new bidding process for the job. <br> <br> Arbitration could settle the complaint within two weeks. <br> <br> If the arbitrator, retired Atlanta lawyer Harry Griffin, rules in favor of the city, the dirt contract will be rebid. But the consortium 5R could still be awarded payment for the $3 million it said it spent preparing the bid. <br> <br> If 5R wins, it would be awarded the contract. <br> <br> The lawsuit claimed 5R&#39;s bid was ``unjustly criticized&#39;&#39; because of the $360 million price and because the consortium planned to purchase the dirt from Clayton County developer C.R. ``Ronnie&#39;&#39; Thornton. <br> <br> Thornton has pleaded guilty to funneling $130,000 in illegal contributions to former Mayor Bill Campbell&#39;s 1997 re-election campaign. <br> <br> The original estimate for the fill dirt was $165 million. The airport&#39;s fifth runway is scheduled to be finished in 2005.