Convention Center

[Jimmie Dale Gilmore]

Anyone Know why work has stopped on the convention center project ?
Why have they not torn down the Old 3/6 building and the easy peasy chinesey laundry ?

[No Name]

Because it's the city and they move at the speed of government!

[Backwoods bigmouth]

Jimmie Dale Gilmore wrote:

Anyone Know why work has stopped on the convention center project ?
Why have they not torn down the Old 3/6 building and the easy peasy chinesey laundry ?

The planned demolition is finished. That eyesore is staying up.(for now anyway).

[because]

because they are moving the old house... go by and see for yourself

[Moving Forward]

El Dorado Economic Development Board approved the architects and contractor to go to bid with the subcontractors. Firm construction costs should be in by mid-July. Construction costs on other area projects are trending under estimated projections. If the bids are good in July construction could start in August and the center could open as early as Novemer 2010.

[citizen]

Does anyone know how many parking spaces they are planning? With a 1000 seat convention center plus 150 students and employees they need several more acres to accomodate this structure and associated parking. Inadequate parking will only give negative results. There are many old,depreciated structures that should be torn down near this site. Building a new building next to these old structures immediately devalues the conference center.

[good point]

Why dont you buy them and donate them to the city so they can use it for parking. The city needs more people like you, Thanks Champ

[wondering]

Why do we need a convention center? Is this town so bombarded by conventions that local hotels and restaurants just aren't enough anymore?

[far har]

multi level parking garage is what they are wanting to build next...guess it's either bye-bye to ritchie's, oddities, or poor old aunt sally in the ground

[shove it in]

will there be flea markets, gun shows and home and garden shows after its completed?

and are they really putting in a cannabis for cancer specialty store on that block also? I've heard this from a people that work in the hospital.

will they rent Segways to get shoppers up to the square square?

[country living]

Todays paper explained that the 3/6 building was not on the original list of demolitions and the city was trying to purchase it. Hmmm, wonder who owns this structure and why it was not in the original eminent domain property grab.....

The price for this addition to the college (some call it a conference center) continues to climb. I posted some months ago that the first round of construction bids would be around $25 million. We shall soon see...

[Mr J]

Looking at the cleared site as it is today, It doesn't look large enough for a convention center and a large parking area.
Is there a place online to see what the finished project will look like ?

[side effects]

Mr J wrote:

Looking at the cleared site as it is today, It doesn't look large enough for a convention center and a large parking area.
Is there a place online to see what the finished project will look like ?

THat is what I was wondering. If I find, I'll post it.

[Well]

Current issue of South Arkansas Leader contains a column from Richard Mason talking about the 4/6 building. Nice read, if anyone is interested.

[edwards]

Mr J wrote:

Looking at the cleared site as it is today, It doesn't look large enough for a convention center and a large parking area.
Is there a place online to see what the finished project will look like ?

You are correct- there is a severe shortage of parking another negative or El Dorado backward. You can blame this on the mayor,council,planning commission and development team. Why would people have a convention here for 1000 plus people when parking was omitted from the drawing board. Parking is very important!!!!!!!!!!

[Snoopy]

Moving Forward wrote:

El Dorado Economic Development Board approved the architects and contractor to go to bid with the subcontractors. Firm construction costs should be in by mid-July. Construction costs on other area projects are trending under estimated projections. If the bids are good in July construction could start in August and the center could open as early as Novemer 2010.

Who is going to maintain this new building? The College? Does that mean a tax increase for the few remaining El Dorado citizens? You know, for the College! Cause after that hike in the water bill, I'm all tapped out! Sorry I just never heard the part about the funding for upkeep and maintenance for the building. I missed that and would like to hear the plan. With all that's ahead of us, I don't see how were going to maintain City Hall much less the new Center.

[Snoopy]

wondering wrote:

Why do we need a convention center? Is this town so bombarded by conventions that local hotels and restaurants just aren't enough anymore?

You big dummy, We're gonna need a place to house all the homeless people!

[sotheysay]

Snoopy wrote:

<quoted text>
Who is going to maintain this new building? The College? Does that mean a tax increase for the few remaining El Dorado citizens? You know, for the College! Cause after that hike in the water bill, I'm all tapped out! Sorry I just never heard the part about the funding for upkeep and maintenance for the building. I missed that and would like to hear the plan. With all that's ahead of us, I don't see how were going to maintain City Hall much less the new Center.

The college is supposed to maintain the facilities up to a certain point - anything after that falls in the city's (i.e., taxpayer's) lap. Try asking some of the powers-that-be in ElDo about it - you'll quickly learn that few want to discuss what will happen if the operating/maintenance costs go over the college's budgeted limit. Strange, isn't it?

[sotheysay]

edwards wrote:

<quoted text>
You are correct- there is a severe shortage of parking another negative or El Dorado backward. You can blame this on the mayor,council,planning commission and development team. Why would people have a convention here for 1000 plus people when parking was omitted from the drawing board. Parking is very important!!!!!!!!!!

And what about the impact of the economy on the convention market? I've heard that many groups/companies are suspending plans for large conventions until the economy lightens up a bit, which is a nice way of saying they won't have any until further notice. ElDo will already be hard-pressed to book a major convention, but with the economy as it is now, I wonder if they will book anything worthwhile at all.

(Btw, I do hope for the best with this convention center, but I have a gut feeling it will someday be known as the El Dorado Folly.)

[Kelly]

Come on folks.

No one believes we are going to attract large conventions to El Dorado.
But we can provide smaller groups, conference and events with a quality meeting experience.

There are dozens of opportunities for a "community center" to be utilized in El Dorado; for the people of our area. Gun & knife shows, home & garden shows, boat & RV shows, the Outdoor Expo, arts & crafts fairs, holiday events, religious events, political rallies, annual meetings, trade shows, employment fairs, Christmas parties, auctions, and countless other civic events. You name it!

How many times have you attended an event at the Kings Inn or Country Club where the facilities were too small and inadequate? Have you ever planned an event and it was cancelled because of rain or bad weather? Think about it.

This community deserves to have good meeting facilities and a place to attract more visitors. Read what others people say about our downtown,“it’s among the best in the country”. Promo what we’re got! Build on the success that has already been established and quit the complaining about improving our community.