The Denver City Council on Monday gave final approval to a contentious contract to handle parking at Denver International Airport.
The council, on a 10-3 vote, awarded the contract to Cleveland-based Standard Parking, with Councilwomen Carol Boigon and Judy Montero and Council President Michael Hancock dissenting.
The $85 million contract would run for seven years, including two possible one-year extensions.
Boigon said the issue was not a fight between labor and business interests. Airport officials, she said, had bungled the contract award and changed the selection criteria.
“I don’t understand why we’re sticking to our guns when we made a mistake,” Boigon said.
Councilman Charlie Brown said an independent evaluation committee had selected Standard as offering the lowest price.
Councilmen Chris Nevitt and Paul Lopez, who last week voted against awarding the contract to Standard, switched their votes Monday, saying their concerns weren’t sufficient to block the contract.
