New Convention Centers in Amador and Boquete

[Moderator_02]

Also see:

 

[Keith Woolford]

El Capital Financiero is reporting this morning that the new Boquete Convention Centre solely requires Cabinet approval before proceeding to tender.

This is a $13.5 million dollar project.

https://elcapitalfinanciero.com/centro-de-convenciones-verde-de-boquete-en-espera-de-aval-para-su-licitacion-en-2018/

Edited January 3, 2018 by Keith Woolford

[Brundageba]

I'd like to know exactly where this 10 acre plot of land is.  El Frances...but where?

[Keith Woolford]

12 minutes ago, Brundageba said:

I'd like to know exactly where this 10 acre plot of land is.  El Frances...but where?

Somewhere adjacent to the Ricardo Perez property where they are developing a residential club and a new service station. 

[Brundageba]

That's what I thought.  In fact until that service station sign went up, I thought that was it.   I said to Bill..."that looks more like a gas station than a convention center"..and sure enough.  (BTW that service station sign is almost as tall as the lighthouse)

[Moderator_02]

Quote

Flawed Convention Center project facing cancellation

 

Posted 18/02/2019

 

The  Amador Convention Center, a centerpiece of the Ricardo Martinelli administration’s construction projects has over 2000 critical and serious flaws in its design, construction, and structure, according to a technical report from Panama’s Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), which has informed the consortium in charge,. of its intention to cancel the contract.

Problems in the fire system, inefficiencies in the installation of steel structures, and the unforgivable lack of final plans that contain all the changes made to the design, are some of the deficiencies detailed by the ATP in the letter sent to the  China-Panamaconsortium CCA- Cocige , which in 2016 committed to finish the project by December 2018 reports La Prensa..

The design includes an exhibition area of 30,000 square meters and a capacity for 25,000 people.

Whether or not the failures are correctable, the cost of the remedy and the time that this implies. are unknown.

The ATP alleges 2,181 incidents or failures committed by the contractor, which cover other problems, such as lack of personnel and work performed without the corresponding permits.

Given the delay, and due to the failures cited by the ATP, the Comptroller General recommended that the institution be "willing" to execute the compliance bond to protect the interests of the State.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/flawed-convention-center-project-facing-cancellation

[Moderator_02]

Quote

OPINION: A catastrophy in the making

The unfulfilled dream

Posted 18/02/2019

 

The Amador Convention Center, a fundamental piece in the country's tourism plan, faces new adversity. It is an absurd amount of structural failures that the contractor, a Chinese-Panamanian consortium, has not been able to correct even though the work is already 80% complete. This project was one of the pharaonic works that began the government of Ricardo Martinelli and that the current administration, inherited with a lot of situations that had to be resolved. But nothing justifies that, at this time, when it should have been delivered in December of last year, we learned that its construction is plagued by inefficiencies in concrete, steel and even in the fire system. How did we get to this point without the authorities warning about this irresponsibility, that could not only cost millions of dollars to the treasury but also risk the 25 thousand people that can house this structure? Situations like this undermine the confidence that the State can make timely decisions guaranteeing the public interest, even when it comes to thorny issues. Hopefully, this is not another example of what starts badly, ends badly. -LA PRENSA Feb.18

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/opinion/opinion-a-catastrophy-in-the-making

[Moderator_02]

Quote

Bankruptcy stalls flagship project

 

Posted 19/02/2019

 

The dreams of Panama’s Tourism Authority (ATP) of boosting conferences and events in Panama at the new Conference Center in Amador which was expected to attract the construction of new hotels and tourist-oriented businesses have taken yet another step back .again been frustrated.

General Civil Constructions (Cocige) The Panama company that is part of the China-linked consortium is in the process of bankruptcy. The company has announced its imminent insolvency, which makes it impossible to assume its obligations with the work it undertook to finish with the China State Construction Engineering Corporation. The center which was a  flagship project of the Martinelli administration sat fallow after a previous bankruptcy and is linked to a $59 million ongoing loan investigation involving key members of the Martinelli inner circle, wending

This is the culmination one of the many problems facing the giant pile of concrete in Amador, which should have been enabled in since December last year, but has over2,000 construction ve and design failures.

The ATP, the entity that contracted the work, had announced its intention to terminate the contract and execute the $98 million guarantee backed by the ASSA company.

After accounting for some arrears and refurbishment of some jobs, it had been estimated that the work would be finished in April which now seems unlikely,

Cocige reported a possible agreement with its Chinese partner, in which it proposes to renounce its participation in the consortium called CCA-Cocige. Until the beginning of February, the deal had not been sealed.

Cocige, one of the recurrent contractors in works of the government of Juan Carlos Varela , has shown inability to finish other projects, such as schools and houses of the Techos de Esperanza program that total more than $70 million. The State has paid $ 136.8  million per convention center from a total of $ 197 million- for the progress of works, including what was paid to the first contractor.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/bankruptcy-stalls-flagship-project-1

[Moderator_02]

Quote

Comptroller Tours Problem Plagued Project

 

Posted 21/02/2019

 

Panama’s comptroller Federico Humbert inspected the Amador Convention Center project on Thursday, February 21.

A technical report prepared for the  Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), listed 2, 81 incidents or failures committed by the contractor, such as changes to the design, lack of final plans and personnel and work performed without the correct permits.

During the tour, Humbert indicated that he will not hesitate to execute a $98 million compliance bond, issued by the insurer ASSA. 

Humbert noted that despite the 2,000  incidents found in the work, the$197.3 million project does not present structural failures, but jobs that have not been corrected by the contractor.

He said that the China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd., which is part of the consortium together with Panama’s  Construcciones Civiles Generales (Cocige), has the financial capacity to complete the work, reports La Prensa.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/comptroller-tours-problem-plagued-project-1

[Moderator_02]

Quote

Amador convention center to host first event in November

Posted 28/05/2020

Amador convention center to host first event in November

After eight  problem -plagued years, compounded by the COVID-19  pandemic the Amador Convention center is set to stage its first event  in November and help revitalize the hotel industry

Early hitches included corruption allegation linked to loans from the state savings bank, the abandonment of the project due to lack of financial liquidity, failures in the execution of the works an

Multiple opening dates  gave been set and missed, but in November the first international event should take place in the new center

The event was originally agreed for the month of July, but the organization had to reschedule it for November 17.

The Latin American & Caribbean Tire Expo and the Latin Auto Parts Expo, an event that will have 400 exhibitors and the organizers expect the attendance of 5,000 participants from across  the continent.

Rodolfo del Valle,  director of the Panama Convention Center, which will be managed by the SMG Latin American company for a period of 6 years, said  that the official opening of the complex was agreed for 2021, but indicated that the new center will be enabled to receive auto parts exhibition.

He said  that the construction of the project registers a 99% progress and commented that SMG is in the process of hiring the personnel and acquiring the equipment to be installed in the center.

Del Valle explained that the new convention center is a link in the gear that must be launched in collaboration with the private and government sector to reactivate the segment of congresses and conventions that is seen by hoteliers as the tool that can allow a reactivation fastest and least painful in the industry, which has been suspended  since March due to the ban on the entry of foreigners ordered by the Government

Del Valle noted that last week they received arequest for the space required to hold an event of 5,000 participants in February or March 2021. "They contacted us to ask us if we had space for that date.

Luis Ricardo Martínez, president of the Panamanian Association of Professionals in Congresses, Exhibitions and Related (Appce), added that a significant number of events that were to take place this year in Panama have changed dates, and have not been postponed, which provides certain relief to Panamanian organizers and suppliers.

He says they are working together with the health authorities to define the protocols to be followed by the events that will take place in the country once all the mobilization restrictions are lifted.

It indicates that Panama should focus on small and medium-sized events since they will be the first to be reactivated within this segment.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/business/amador-convention-center-to-host-first-event-in-november

[Moderator_03]

Quote

Tourism Authority hands over convention center administration

Posted 03/09/2021

After a 3-year wait, the American company SMG Latin America received from the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) , the administration of the Panama Convention Center, located in Amador.

The company was selected at the beginning of 2018 to operate and market the building with a capacity of 24,000 people, but construction delays its inception in 2012, delayed the entry of SMG.

The company signed a six-year contract, with a renewal option for an additional five years. For the first six years, SMG will receive $2.1 million, but will also receive commissions from the sale of food and beverages.

The PCC was built on a 10-hectare lot located behind the Figali convention center. It has 1,715 outdoor parking spaces, 200 that are under roof and 18 exclusive spaces for buses.

The exhibition area is 15 thousand square meters. This area can be divided into three sections of approximately 5,000 square meters, each with its own separate systems. The exhibition area in the new convention center is equivalent to the total footprint of Atlapa.

At the end of September, the new congress hall will host the final date of the National Tourism Convention organized by the Panama Chamber of Tourism, and in November it will be home to the congress of the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), an event that will bring together 5,000 executives from the industry seeking to get back on track after the debacle caused by the coronavirus.

Both events are expected to give the Panama hotel industry a much-needed fillip.

 

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/travel/tourism-authority-hands-over-convention-center-administration