LEE COUNTY, Fla. — A new audit is raising serious questions about safety protocols and transparency at Southwest Florida International Airport, with auditors reporting they were denied access to critical safety documents needed to evaluate the airport's ongoing terminal expansion project.
The Lee County Clerk's Office released a 31-page report highlighting significant concerns with construction delays and cost overruns related to the terminal expansion. Most troubling, auditors said they were unable to form an opinion on whether proper construction safety measures were being followed because they weren't provided access to necessary documentation.
"This refusal to provide records relating to the Terminal Expansion Project is a marked change in the relationship between the Port Authority and the County Auditor. For over 20 years my Office has fulfilled its Constitutional responsibility as the County Auditor for the Lee County Port Authority. The audits we've conducted in that time have resulted in significant cost savings, operational improvements, and even criminal prosecutions for fraud," Lee County Clerk Kevin Karnes said in a letter to Port Authority Commissioners.
The Lee County Port Authority disputed the characterization and said they were transparent with auditors.
In response, they said they provided "ample audit evidence material and worked with the auditors throughout the audit."
The audit comes as the terminal expansion project faces scrutiny over delays and budget concerns, raising questions about oversight of one of Southwest Florida's busiest transportation hubs.
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