The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority (LCCCA) is pleased to announce that a plan established back in 2003 to encourage substantive participation of minority and women owned businesses in the Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square project was executed successfully and exceeded established goals.
Looking east on King Street in Downtown Lancaster toward the Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square.
The plan, entitled the Minority and Women Business Participation and Cooperation Plan (MWBPCP), the first such plan established in Lancaster County, was put in place six years ago as a demonstration of the Authority’s commitment to broad community participation and inclusion on the convention center and hotel project, and since then other entities including Franklin & Marshall University and Lancaster County have established similar plans.
“We want to encourage others to see this plan as a model for community participation and inclusion in other projects throughout the County and region,” said Kevin R. Molloy, executive director of the LCCCA. “We are very pleased to have succeeded beyond the original goals of the plan with this important effort and grateful to all who contributed their talent and hard work toward completing such a magnificent asset for this community,” Molloy said.
The primary focus of the MWBPCP was to provide minority and women businesses meaningful opportunity for participating in construction of the Lancaster County Convention Center and Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square construction, contracting and procurement programs. The specific goals were to obtain 5-10% participation for MBE firms and 3-6% participation for WBE firms. Strategies for achieving the goals included certification presentations, placement of notices of events and public bidding in local newspapers, developing a database of MBE/WBE firms to assist with information sharing, bid documents that made clear the participation of MBE/WBE firms, and monitoring of compliance with the plan during pre- and post bid construction.
A report issued this week by plan liaison J. Allen Taylor Consulting shows that overall participation in the project for MBE firms was 10% or $10,844,353 and overall participation for WBE firms was 5% or $5,644,925 for a total participation of MBE and WBE firms of 16% or $16,489,278. As stated, the participation goals for the program were 5-10% for MBE firms and 3-6% for WBE firms.
For the general trades bid, which was awarded to High Construction Company, MBE firms participated at a rate of 7.88% or $3,026,942 and WBE firms participated at a rate of 6.24 % or $2,423,778 for a total participation rate of MBE and WBE firms of 14.12% or $5,450,720.
Local Lancaster MBE and WBE companies received contracts totaling $6,840,042. The local companies that participated on the project were Access Personnel Services, Fannin Enterprises, MAJ Construction, Penn State Electric Supply, Powell Steel, and Red Rose Sanitation.
“The highlight,” said plan liaison Allen Taylor, “is that, as a result of the project providing an opportunity for meaningful participation, local minority and women businesses were able to work on the project and earn real income that contributed to their bottom line.”
The full report is available at www.lccca.com. The landmark $177-million integrated facility was completed and opened in June of 2009 and is considered by many to be one of the most important regional economic development initiatives in decades.
About the integrated facility
Anchoring Downtown Lancaster and boldly incorporating the 110-year-old Beaux Arts façade of the historic former Watt & Shand department store, the uniquely integrated convention center / hotel facility offers a combined 90,000 square feet of meeting space and the latest technology for conventions, events, and trade shows. Appealing as a unique world-class facility set in a smaller, less expensive urban destination, the convention center facility is centrally located to the metropolitan areas of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and New York. The new venue offers space for groups up to 5,000 and includes a convention and exhibition hall, two grand ballrooms, and several finely appointed meeting and board rooms.
Booking information
To book an event at the integrated facility, call Josh Nowak at 866-503-3786 or 717-239-1601. For more information, visit www.lancasterconventioncenter.com or www.marriottlancaster.com.
About ownership of the integrated facility
The Lancaster County Convention Center is a publicly owned entity under the direction of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority; Kevin Molloy, executive director. The Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square is owned by the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster and leased to Penn Square Partners, the private company that holds the Marriott franchise.
About Lancaster County Convention Center Authority
The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority is established under the Municipal Authority Act of 1945 and the Third-Class County Convention Center Authority Act. The Convention Center Authority is run by a seven-member volunteer board, which is appointed by city and county officials. The LCCCA board was charged with developing a unique and inviting convention/exhibition venue with an integrated, privately owned first-class lodging facility. In addition, the LCCCA is working with the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County to preserve and promote the Stevens, Kleiss & Smith historical buildings.
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