Associated Press
TACOMA — Plans for a new convention center may be scaled back because of a drop in tourism since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, city officials say.
Two city consultants, Greg Easton of Seattle and Rebecca Chow of Portland, Ore., are reviewing their earlier studies and financial assessments, and city officials recently decided to pay CH Johnson Consulting of Chicago about $15,000 to review those findings.
"If the assumptions have changed, the scope of the project could change," city manager Ray Corpuz said. "We want to know if we’re still on track."
Early planning documents anticipated as many as 275,000 visitors annually. Meanwhile, the proposal has grown from a 134,000-square-foot downtown project envisioned in 1999 to 236,000 square feet.
Two years ago, the proposed exhibition hall was increased from 30,000 square feet to 50,000 square feet and a fourth floor was added. Since 1998, estimated costs have risen to $89.7 million from $43 million.
City council member Kevin Phelps said when planning teams visited other convention centers across the country in recent years, they consistently were told, "We wish we had built ours bigger."
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