As costs rise for the Charleston Civic Center renovation project, Charleston's city manager said he remains confident the city won't have to dip into its general revenue fund to help pay for the project.
Estimated costs are now up to $93.6 million after Charleston City Council members approved a $1.2 million change order for the project last week.
City Manager David Molgaard said the city has almost $109 million dedicated for the project.
The funds come from the city's tax-increment finance district, the 0.5 percent sales tax dedicated to the Civic Center renovations and sales tax revenue bonds. Council members approved selling up to $100 million of those bonds in 2015, and all of that money is dedicated to the Civic Center project.
"We can't use that money to buy police cruisers, or for doing sidewalks in the city or doing anything else in the city," Molgaard said. "It has to go to this project."
Molgaard said the city was aware it would have to put additional funds into the project other than its initial $82 million dollar contract with BBL Carlton in 2015.
He said he's trying to take every step to make sure the project does not go over budget, but there is always the possibility.
"If I have to ask for general fund revenues, I would consider this project kind of took a left turn, and it's not what we hoped it would be," he said.
That's why Molgaard is managing the project for portions that are not integral to the center and can be added later, like the planned riverfront trail and outdoor plaza area along the Elk River.
Molgaard estimates that project alone will cost about $2.5 million. He said event planners are always interested in those beautification portions of the project, though.
"We want to add as much additional icing on the cake to entice these folks to bring their conventions, meetings and obviously their economic development dollars to our community," Molgaard said.
Many of the change orders signed for the project have been from unexpected costs, from $1.8 million to upgrade the Civic Center's Wi-Fi network to a $380,000 bill to replace damaged hot- and cold-water pipes.
The Civic Center renovations are expected to be completed in September 2018.
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