Convention Center work moves forward

The Spokane Convention Center expansion project is moving forward with electrical work now that legal action filed against the contractor has been dismissed.

Power City Electric, one of the bidders for the $4 million worth of work, filed a restraining order against general contractor Hoffman Bouten on Dec. 29, claiming the project had been improperly bid. Power City’s motion was intended to prevent the contractor from awarding the work to another company. However, a Spokane County Superior Court judge decided Thursday that the claims had no merit.

“Plaintiff has not established a clear legal or equitable right to an injunction,” Judge Greg Sypolt wrote in his decision.

With the matter resolved, Hoffman Bouten Operations Manager Dave Garske said Tuesday that the project was moving forward with Energized Electric.

Power City was the low bidder for the work when the bids were first opened. However, some work was cut out of the contract to save money and the two companies were asked to submit new bids, which both did. The second time around, Energized won the job by about $50,000, Garske said.

The expansion project, which will result in a new 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall and renovations to the existing Convention Center, is running several million dollars over budget. However, Garske said $500,000 was saved by rebidding the electrical work.

The contractor has been able to move forward with other work while the electric bidding process was resolved and the project is still proceeding on schedule, Garske said.