Deadline for convention centre plan extended again
Posted Apr 8, 2010 05:31:10 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The construction of a new convention centre in downtown Halifax has stalled again.
The province has extended the developer’s deadline a second time, giving him more time to come up with a more detailed plan for the new facility..
The convention centre plan was scheduled to be tabled before the provincial cabinet on the 19th, but developer Joe Ramia has been given until July 19 to come up with more detailed plans on his project.
So far, the government says all it has is an artist’s design and it needs more specifics before it will commit to helping finance the $300 to $400 million project..
Paul MacKinnon of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission says that will create an unfortunate ripple effect, because other developers want to see what the province and city will do before they commit to any investment in the downtown.
“We still are, obviously, seen as the place to do business, but yeah, there’s some area of concern there,” he said.
Mayor Peter Kelly says he’s not worried by the deadline extension, saying the developer should take all the time he needs to get a solid plan in place.
“This was asked for by the proponent,” he said. “They want to make sure get this right and make sure we are able to dot those Is and cross those Ts.
MacKinnon says a new convention centre is vital for downtown Halifax and the city would see benefits almost immediately.
“We saw that with the last convention centre,” he said. “When that was built, suddenly there was these new hotels that were being built. So there is kind of an immediate development return.”
The former Herald building on Argyle has already been demolished to make way for a new convention centre. So far neither the province nor Ottawa have commited to funding the project.
