ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County lawmakers on Tuesday OK'd issuing $105 million in bonds for an expansion of the downtown convention center, plus $40 million for a recreation center in north county.
The vote marked a long-sought win for regional tourism officials keen on the America's Center expansion, but also came as cost increases raised new questions about the $210 million project, which is also being funded by the city of St. Louis.
A board overseeing the project selected Ben Hur Construction Co. for work on an initial phase of the project, at a cost of $123.9 million, a spokesman for Explore St. Louis, the region's tourism agency, said Tuesday. He added that the board's resolution also directed the city's Board of Public Service, which is overseeing the project, "to initiate a negative change order (or change orders) at a minimum of $8 million in which the scope of the project will not change."
But a county councilman, Ernie Trakas, said Tuesday that only $80 million had initially been budgeted for the work won by Ben Hur, whose CEO is Jim Schug. Trakas said Explore is likely to ask the county and city for more money for the project.
"This is only the beginning of this fiasco," he said. This "relegates the county to being on the hook for additional taxpayer funding for overruns or risks a half built project that's equivalent to a" bridge to nowhere, Trakas said.
But Council Chair Rita Days said the bill passed Tuesday allocated only $105 million, and Councilman Tim Fitch said that while Explore may ask for more resources, it may also have to reconsider what's built. The project, pursued in an effort to keep convention business as other cities invest in their facilities, contemplates adding loading bays; converting two exhibition halls into a ballroom and lobby; improving a western entrance; and adding a new kitchen near the exhibition facilities to replace most of the function of the current kitchen in the basement.
"(Explore) will have to live within their means," Fitch said.
Read the full story on the St. Louis Business Journal website.