The US company SMG has been chosen to manage the Panamanian convention center, which is under construction and will be ready to operate next year.

Minister Him detailed that the selection of the managing company was made at the request of the Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Tourism and the National Tourism Council.  SMG will be in charge of the operation, maintenance and marketing of the convention center.  The only process left pending is approval from the Cabinet Council.

According to Him, “the company manages 72 convention centers globally, mainly in the USA, China, Europe, and has sufficient experience and the client base to attract the conventions that Panama needs.”

From a statement issued by the Tourism Authority of Panama:

Panama’s Tourism Minister Gustavo Him, accompanied by the Project Director of the ATP, Erich Velásquez, and representatives from the Consortium CCA-COCIGE, S.A., conducted an inspection tour today at the Amador Convention Center (CCA), noting a 53% advance of works.

The engineers of this work, whose cost is 193.7 million balboas, explained to Minister Him that at the moment they are working on the concrete structure, steel roof structure, steel structure of mezzanines, fillings of selected material, above ground floors, masonry and the main room for installations and the water tank.

In the coming months, they said, work will begin on external infrastructure, support structures for gypsum partitions and ceilings, installation of the curtain wall and installation of the fascia.