The government hopes to raise between $70 and $80 million from the sale of the Atlapa convention center.
This tender aims to find potential suppliers not only for the design and construction, but also for the equipment of the structure to be built in the Amador Causeway, behind the Figali Convention Center.
The specifications for the new complex, which will have significant differences from the previous Atlapa center, will be published on the PanamaCompra system within a few weeks.
An article in Prensa.com states: "The original idea was that the amphitheater would be built on a landfill at the end of El Chorrillo, accompanied by a modern city that would include buildings, hotels and recreation areas, according to the conceptual design of the U.S. company Skidmore Owings and Merrill (SOM). But the high cost of filling 60 acres of seabed made the government look for firm ground.
The work represents an investment of 120 million dollars. This week the Minister of Economy and Finance, Frank De Lima, reaffirmed that the project will be included in the Public Private Partnership project, under which the private sector would assume the funding. "
Source: Prensa.com
More on this topic
May 2011
Government authorities have conducted analysis into the possible location of the center on land which was transferred to the Amador Foundation in order to fund the Bio-museum .
This new option has been added to the other suggestions, which are to use lands owned by Social Security Department in Amador or extend the land fillings made by Jean Figali.
February 2010
The Government of Panama has hired Skidmore, Owens and Merril (SOM), to create the conceptual designs of several infrastructure projects.
These include the Financial Tower (“Torre Financiera”), the new Conventions Center, the Government City and the Yacht and Fishing Club.
December 2010
Panama is studying the change of location of a Convention Center planned to be build in Barraza.
The high costs of building products by having to fill about 62 hectares of seabed have led the Government to explore other options.
Among the possible new locations is a property in Clayton, owned by Caja de Ahorros.
September 2009
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) is working on the project's sketch, which will be the basis for the public bidding process.
The new conventions center is expected to be operating in 2013, with an exhibit area of 15.000 square meters.
Ernesto Orillac, main adviser for the Panamanian Tourism Authority, argued that "...Panama must have a world class convention center, considering that this type of tourism is the one who spends the most and stays the longest in the country".
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