Convention Center now 63% complete

As of July 31, total construction invoices for the Lancaster County Convention Center project have totaled roughly $68 million, Tom Smithgall, the construction manager, reported to a committee of the Convention Center Authority, Thursday evening.

This represents approximately 68% of the total hard construction dollars for the project, Smithgall said.

Recent progress at the site includes the completion of facade stabilization, the hanging of drywall in numerous portions of the project, the installation of a number of doors, the completion of nearly all concrete pouring for the hotel tower, the installation of a roof over Ballroom A, and the installation of piping for a chilled water system.

In other news, Thursday, a board member and an individual very familiar with the project clarified for NewsLanc that the recently-secured $500,000 in state grants as part of a long-promised $1.5 million contingency fund, to be used for "concrete" will be used exclusively for the publicly-owned Convention Center portion of the project and not for the private Hotel.

Chairman of the Convention Center Authority Board Art Morris had previously indicated to NewsLanc that, even though the funding is coming from the state, the contingency funds do not have to be shared 50/50 with Penn Square Partners.