Philadelphia's Convention Center's high costs draw notice

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

The projected cost of expanding the Convention Center is nearly $100 million over budget, and Gov. Rendell wondered aloud yesterday whether the massive project, now dangling an $800 million price tag, was still worth it.

"You're getting to the point where the cost will outweigh the benefit," Rendell said. "You're not there yet, but you're getting to the point."

Last month, The Inquirer reported that the first phase of the project was at least $20 million over what was expected, because of soaring steel and concrete prices.

Officials now acknowledge that projections show the rapidly surging prices of those commodities, as well as copper and aluminum, may push construction costs considerably higher than the budgeted $700 million.

Asked how large the gap might be, outgoing Convention Center president Al Mezzaroba said yesterday, "The estimate we have right now is $90 million."

Rendell, in an interview, said he believed the shortfall might be even bigger, since bids from the myriad subcontractors working on the expansion have yet to be received.

There's nothing like a union town to drive up costs.