Convention center expansion hits snag

In January, when boosters were anxious to bulldoze historic buildings and get City Council to approve the expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, officials warned that delays would cost $2.25 million a month and disrupt conventions booked for early 2011.

But weeks after courts approved the razing of the two historic buildings and Council approved necessary union diversity plans, the paperwork for construction bids still hasn't been released.

"Nothing in this process has gone easily," said convention center chairman Thomas "Buck" Riley.

Riley said that the construction bids haven't gone out mainly because attorneys for the city and the Building Trades Council have had to take a careful look at some of the complex agreements needed to get the project moving.

"I'm never satisfied with the pace of any of this, but I would not characterize this as a delay," Riley said.

The $700 million project is funded by the state, but in order to execute the deal, a complex lease agreement between the city, state and convention center authority had to be completed.

The agreement was needed to relieve the city of its obligation to repay construction bonds for the original center and to redefine responsibilities of the parties funding and operating the center once expansion is completed.

"There's a new city administration, and a new city solicitor, and they have to take a careful look at all this," Riley said. "It's nobody's fault. It's just the way things go."

Officials from Mayor Nutter and Gov. Rendell's administration were unable to comment yesterday on the delay.

Riley said it also took time for the Building Trades Council to complete its review of a labor agreement for the project.

Riley said that he hopes the construction bid packages will be released next week. That would give six pre-qualified companies the specifications they need to bid for the first phase of construction.

It should take about six weeks for the companies to submit bids and another two weeks to name the winning bidder and get construction under way.

Riley said that two large conventions booked for early 2011 haven't canceled, and he expects the expanded center to be finished on time to host them. *