A top official at Parkland Memorial Hospital acknowledged Tuesday that construction costs for the replacement hospital were $16 million over budget as currently approved. It was the first time anyone from Parkland has admitted that the $1.27 billion hospital was running over budget. Dallas County taxpayers have approved $747 million for the new hospital with the remainder of the cost coming from hospital reserve funds and private donations. Walter "Ted" Shaw, the hospital's interim chief financial officer, acknowledged the expected shortfall during an update on the project to the Dallas County Commissioners Court.
