CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte Convention Center is $17 million over budget.
Over budget or not, city leaders broke ground on the expansion of the convention center at an official event Wednesday morning.
[RELATED: Nearly $115M approved for over-budget Convention Center upgrades]
“This is one of several things in the last 12 months that we’ve really struggled over and had some frustration,” said council member Tariq Bokhari.
The city explained that 22 of the 51 bid packages to create more meeting space and a pedestrian bridge connecting the building to the Westin Hotel came in over budget. City leaders agreed to pull money from the convention center tax fund to cover the extra costs.
[IMAGES: Charlotte Convention Center renderings]
“We had cost escalation that we were trying to solve for. We were confident we had resources available to make that happen,” said Tom Murray, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority.
The project begins as the city wrestles with funding shortfalls in other areas and a long list of big projects ahead.
The hope is that the new business coming to Charlotte will pay for the expansion within six years.
“That’s a goal that we have to meet because that’s what helps pay for the facility in itself,” said Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles.
The goal is to complete the work by the summer of 2021 and host the first event by October of that same year. Construction will stop when the Republican National Convention comes to town in August.
Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com:
- Ron Rivera fired after 9 seasons as Panthers head coach
- Report: Marine told TSA agent at Charlotte Douglas to check shoes for C-4
- Police ID man found shot to death inside burning car in northeast Charlotte
- FORECAST: Sunny skies, mild temps on tap for remainder of workweek
- Remains found in Iredell County identified as woman reported missing in 2016
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
