The bill to repair Franklin County's damaged baseball park could reach $200,000, and commissioners are preparing to sue if the contractor that sank a section doesn't pay up.

The county won't say who that contractor is.

"We may not release the (preliminary investigation) report until we've gotten confirmation that the contractor's insurance bond will cover the incident," County Administrator Don L. Brown said.

"I don't want to be critical of any contractor until we've secured full reimbursement. If we don't secure it voluntarily, we'll pursue it in court."

Construction workers discovered damage to the $55 million Arena District ballpark when they arrived at work June 23. A concrete footing, or "footer," holding a support column had dropped 8 inches. A second-story concrete floor was cracked.

The section affected, in the Right Field Building, will house ticket and marketing offices. The section is fixed and Huntington Park is set to open in time for the 2009 baseball season, Brown said.

Plumbing contractor W.G. Tomko Inc. said the footer and column were fine when its workers left June 21 after digging a trench for drainage pipes nearby. A company spokeswoman suggested last week that the design of the stadium, crumbly soils or heavy rain might be at fault.

Construction workers at the site have told The Dispatch that three sides of the footer were exposed and the column was left unsupported over the weekend. Photos taken right after the damage was discovered show the footing noticeably lower than a nearby column base. Support beams on the second floor were bowed.

Commissioners hired Pennsylvania-based Tomko in January for $2.6 million, prompting an unsuccessful lawsuit by TP Mechanical Inc., an Ohio-based contractor that submitted the lowest bid.

Brown said the repairs could run $150,000 to $200,000, nearly $70,000 of which went to rent a crane that held 27 tons while the supporting column was reset. The county also hired structural engineers and other investigators.

As a result of the damage, commissioners have decided to hire a forensic engineer for their other construction projects.

This consultant could quickly investigate, offer repair advice and conduct tests to check welds, soil quality and concrete pours.

The county also is building a new courthouse at Mound and High streets and is planning a new dog shelter and jail.

bcarmen@dispatch.com