The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Panama is putting out to tender adaptations and staging of the Atlapa Convention Center, for the celebration of the VII Summit of the Americas in 2015.
Panama Government Purchase 2014-0-05-0-08-LV-006 274:
"ADAPTATIONS AND STAGING OF THE ATLAPA CONVENTION CENTER, SITE OF THE VII SUMMIT OF THE AMERICAS, 2015. PANAMA"
An announcement has been made that the Atlapa convention center will not be sold but instead will continue to be rented out for events.
After several attempts by the previous government to sell the Atlapa convention center, the Varela administration decided to keep the amphitheater in government power and continue using it for activities for public and private companies.
Panama's new government will have to launch the tender for the convention center administrator and define the future of the Atlapa complex.
The project in Amador is 32% complete and is due to be finished in December 2015, but a tender to choose the company that will manage the resort has yet to be created.
"... Four buildings make up the new complex for conferences and conventions, which in total has 81,396 square meters (m2) and a capacity for 23,000 people."
Local businessmen are negotiating with the Tourism Authority the sale of the building, which the legislation states must be sold at $62 million, after the three previous auctions failed.
After the third and final attempt by the Tourism Authority to auction the Convention Center, which was unsuccessful, it must now be sold at half its value, $62 million.
A new environmental impact study is being carried out and available for citizens interested in finding out about the details of the extension of the Corridor.
Due to the complexity of the expansion project of the South Corridor, the National Environmental Authority has requested a new environmental impact study, rated as category III.
Although in November 2013 the National Highway Company presented an environmental impact study for the south corridor's expansion to six lanes, the National Environmental Authority (ANAM) has requested a new category III study. The new study received in early January shows no major changes compared to the previous one, the components of the project and the total cost of $509 million remain the same.
Multimodal transport and logistics are among the topics that will be addressed in the international trade fair taking place on October 22nd - 24th in Panama City.
From a press release issued by the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama:
For eight years, the Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture of Panama (CCIAP) and the National Secretariat for Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT), have joined forces to hold the Panama LOGISTICS EXPO, which this year will take place from the 22nd to the 24th of October at the ATLAPA Convention Center.
Although it can now be bought for half of its value, there is no interest in acquiring the Atlapa convention center.
Three months ago the third attempt to auction the Atlapa convention center was held and although the law states that after three attempts to auction the property it can be sold for half its value, no person or company has expressed interest in acquiring it.
The Panamanian Association of Business Executives has joined other unions in criticizing the direct extension of the contract with Mexico's ICA.
Fernando Aramburu, president of the Panamanian Association of Business Executives (APEDA) regrets that the contract signed by the Government with the company Ingenieros Civiles y Asociados Asociados (ICA) does not give more options to the National Highway Company (ENA).
It has now been announced that ATLAPA will be sold directly in early 2014 for $62 million, equivalent to 50% of its total value, which is estimated at $124.5 million.
As established by the Public Procurement Act, after three failed attempts the 55,000 m² site of the convention center will be sold directly for half of its value.
Solomon Shamah, administrator of the Panama Tourism Authority (ATP) said that by the beginning of next year it may be up for sale.
A law is being proposed to facilitate management of the rights to a 40-hectare landfill on the seabed adjacent to ATLAPA.
The project was presented to Congress by the Minister of Public Works, Jaime Ford. The plan is to add an article to the law which would regulate the system of execution of public works.
This "... would allow concessionaires to whom the state has recognized their rights to fill in the seabed, to assign such rights without limitation, in favor of creditors, trustees and agents guaranteed locally or internationally, under approval from the Ministry of Public Works (MOP) to ensure the financing of the construction, expansion or improvement of the public works under the license ", reported Prensa.com.
With a base price of $82 million, on November 12 there will be another attempt to sell the 55,000 m² convention center.
The Ministry of Economy had set the value of the property at $124 million, however, the Public Procurement Act provides that after two failed attempts it may make a third call, but the reference price will correspond to two thirds of the original reference price, ie $82 million.
From 10 to 12 October, more than 40 international delegations will participate in an event which draws in some 300 journalists.
European and Latin American designers have already confirmed their participation in the event, which will be held in the Atlapa Convention Center.
This year Panama Fashion Week 2013, "joins with e-commerce by innovatively incorporating internet shopping for over 11 countries and promoting designers' creations through one of the most important fashion portals worldwide" , reported Capital.com.pa.
The auction of the Atlapa convention center received no bids therefore a third attempt will be made with base price of $82 million.
No companies showed interest in the auction conducted by the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP). It is estimated that the value of the land is $124.5 million.
In the third auction, the reference price for the land corresponds to two-thirds of the initial price, in other words, $82.2 million.
So far no interested parties have paid the deposit that enables them to bid for the convention center in the next auction scheduled for September 16.
Prensa.com reports: "Everything suggests that the story on that day will be no different. To date, no company has submitted the deposit required for participation in the auction which has a price tag of $124 million.
The issue of increasing rates for lodgings from 10% to 11% has still not been resolved, which is preventing wholesale contracts prices from being calculated.
Prensa.com reports: "This issue was expected to have been resolved on August 8. The authorities and hotel owners amended bureau statutes, and it was agreed that the organization will be public-private partnership, but the meeting did not address the increase in the rate of accommodation which was to go from 10% to 11%. "