The Spokane Public Facilities District recently invited firms interested in providing architectural and engineering services for the proposed expansion and remodeling of the Spokane Convention Center to submit qualifications.


The district announced in an advertised request for qualifications that it planned to hold a pre-submission meeting last Tuesday, and that design firms interested in competing for the contract must submit qualifications by today, Oct. 25.


Kevin Twohig, the districts executive director, says the district hopes to interview firms that make it onto a short list of applicants on Oct. 30 and to approve a negotiated contract with the chosen firm on Nov. 6.


Earlier this month, supporting a resolution proposed by Mayor John Powers, the Spokane City Council voted unanimously to place the possible expansion of the downtown complex in the hands of the district, which can access more than $30 million in sales-tax revenues for the project, which has been estimated to cost $60 million to $90 million. For the project to secure that funding, construction must get under way by the end of next year.


However, the district, which owns and operates the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, cant commit to the project without a countywide vote. Therefore, its working as quickly as possible to complete site-selection work, financial projections, and conceptual designs for the districts board to use in preparing a ballot measure that can be submitted to voters next spring, Twohig says.