Jan. 27, 2005 - The fence is up and demolition has started on the much-anticipated $85 million four-star hotel and convention center project aimed at bringing more tourism and conventions to downtown Montgomery.

"This will be a tremendous attraction for the city of Montgomery," said Jim Buckalew, vice president of the company overseeing the convention center project. "A four-star hotel downtown next to the convention center will add to the development going on in the downtown area."

Construction crews continued to work Wednesday to tear down the meeting rooms on the south side of the Montgomery Civic Center. The core of the Civic Center will remain, but several hundred square feet have been knocked down and torn away.

The convention center should meet its original expected completion date, which is February 2007, despite the fact that final schematics are not yet in hand.

The convention center will be on the south end and the north end will house a performing arts theater that can be used for convention space.

The construction will not stand in the way of the Air Force Information Technology Conference being held at the Civic Center on Aug. 29 through Sept. 1, Mayor Bobby Bright said. Though the building will not be pretty, it will be usable for the conference.

The project is a joint venture between the city and the Retirement Systems of Alabama. "It will happen," said Buckalew, vice president of Alabama Real Estate Holdings, an RSA company.

Dawn Hathcock, vice president of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce's Convention and Visitor Bureau, said the facility is necessary to grow tourism in Montgomery.

"We have been very fortunate to host some very big events in the past," Hathcock said. "Without expansion, those events are going to outgrow us."

Existing convention business is being moved to other areas throughout the city during construction.

Workmen watch as a beam is pulled down Tuesday during demolition on the Montgomery Civic Center's south side.

"In some cases, we are having to be a little creative," she said.

The center will make Montgomery competitive with other cities in the region including Jackson, Birmingham and Mobile for conventions, Buckalew said.

The construction is near the office of Brown-Chambless Architects, but John Chambless said he has not noticed any inconvenience. He is supportive of the project and its potential contribution to downtown growth and redevelopment.

"This will bring a lot of new people to Montgomery and to downtown and be very important," Chambless said.

CONVENTION CENTER AND HOTEL:

--Demolition has started on the renovation of the Montgomery Civic Center, which will more than double in size to 133,000 square feet. The renovation will be coupled with the building of a four-star hotel and parking deck.

--The project is expected to be completed in February 2007

--The total cost for the project is estimated at $85 million

--A fence was erected around the property in November

--Demolition of the south side of the convention center started earlier this month

--The facility will include 93,000 square feet of meeting space and a 2,000-seat theater

--The hotel will have more than 300 rooms

--The project is a collaboration between the city and Retirements Systems of Alabama

--RSA will contribute about $55 million and the city will add $30 million

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