Spotlight on Entertainment/Hospitality Projects Certain to Boost Texas Tourism

Joint Ventures Step into the Civic Arena

Both use alternate-delivery methods.

By Eileen Schwartz

In a joint venture, Houston-based Gilbane Building Co. and Corpus Christi-based Anderson Group Construction Management are providing project management services for a new $56 million arena on Corpus Christi Bay and the $36 million expansion/rehabilitation of the adjacent convention center. While the facilities are connected, they are separate projects and are funded separately.

Both use alternate-delivery methods.

Moorehouse & Beecroft is the local contractor for the convention center under a construction manager-at-risk contract while Fulton/Coastcon is the local contractor for the arena under a competitive-seal proposal.

"We were the first Texas city to implement new legislation and use a construction manager-at-risk for delivery at the convention center and sealed proposal for the arena project," said Kevin Stowers, the owner's representative for the city of Corpus Christi.

He added that cities in Texas historically have not been allowed to use alternative-delivery methods such as construction manager at risk, sealed proposals or construction manager agent.

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"We were allowed to consider factors other than simply the traditional hard-bid cost proposal as a method of delivery," Stowers added. "We looked and took the time to go through the contractor's experience, safety records, financial stability and ability to meet contractual requirements in terms of delivery on time."

Construction of the arena is on a tight time constraint so the first home basketball game can be played there in the fall. The arena will serve as the home to the Corpus Christi Rayz and the Men/

Women's NCAA Division 1 basketball for the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi teams.
"We are on line to make the fall opening happen," Stowers said. We selected these contractors because they were qualified, local construction companies that were familiar with the market and were able to mobilize quickly and meet the criteria that was set forth in the selection. A lot of national and statewide firms applied for the position."

The design process for the arena, coordinated by local architects Gignac & Associates, took about a year.

"The site was chosen after we were hired to do a master plan of the area," said Raymond Gignac, principal in charge for both projects. "We wanted to locate the arena relative to the best existing synergy, taking advantage of the community's natural asset-water."

Building the new arena next to the existing convention center means the two facilities can share commissaries, food-preparation areas, docks, waste management and some infrastructure. "And large conventions can use the arena for assembly space while the arena floor can >> be used for exhibit space," Gignac said.

Built in the 1970s, the Corpus Christi Bayfront Plaza Convention Center overlooks the city's waterfront on the Gulf of Mexico. With its new facelift and new adjacent arena, the bigger and better convention center is certain to bolster Corpus Christi's ability to attract more and larger conventions, sporting and other events and touring shows.

The convention center boasts a new grand lobby directly south of the existing Selena Auditorium with a window-wall system affording a waterfront view and a floor-to-ceiling height of 83 ft. The lobby provides access to the existing exhibit halls, meeting rooms and a new 24,000-sq. ft. ballroom with pre-function space located at the convention center's second level. Serving both venues are drop-off areas and a large catering kitchen.

The convention center and arena are not only physically connected but architecturally integrated.

"It will look like one building," said Monty Hurst, project manager for Gilbane.
The arena's main concourse is linked to the convention center's pre-function hall. The two facilities feature chopped Cordova Cream limestone from Texas Quarries located near Austin in Cedar Park. The glass for the convention center and the arena's east elevation, designed to withstand 130 mph hurricane winds.

"The window-wall system and chopped stone on both projects give the two structures a uniform appearance," Hurst said.

The arena's focal point is the east elevation, with its folded window-wall system. The stadium is approximately 75 percent complete, with site utility work nearing completion. Its design is split level, with two levels and suites in the middle. The east elevation is all glass and it will have blackout curtains for certain events. If an event does not draw a full house, the upper deck can be curtained off. The west elevation was designed for future expansion. "We started with a single-bowl design then changed to split bowl to put the suites closer to action and to get upper seats closer," Gignac said.

Hurst said it's unusual for an arena this size to have a two-tiered bowl.
Inside, the arena features retractable-floor seating and premium box seating, luxury suites, a sophisticated sound system and big-screen scoreboard. A club lounge, located on the southeast side of the building on the mezzanine level, has a direct view of the event floor and features a bar, dining area and a VIP dining area facing the bay and downtown.

The arena bowl has a horseshoe configuration, with an open balcony along the east side to reveal a view of the Corpus Christi Bay. The horseshoe bowl faces the west end where the end stage will be located. Crews recently finished installing structural floor slab for the bowl to prepare for the ice slab for hockey. Gignac added that the horseshoe shape allows the possibility for further expansion, which would mean making the horseshoe into a full bowl.

"It's going to bring a whole new perspective to entertainment," said Gignac. "Not only will it generate new events, it will be something the citizens of Corpus Christi can be proud of and something the community has been deprived of."
And Stowers added: "We are reinventing ourselves, and reopening the future."

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Key Players:

Convention center expansion and arena:
Owner: City of Corpus Christi, engineering department
Construction Manager: Gilbane Construction Co., Houston in joint
partnership with Anderson Group, Construction Management, Corpus Christi
General Contractor: Morehouse & Beecroft, Corpus Christi
Architect of Record: TVS & Associates, Atlanta
Local Architect: Gignac & Associates, Corpus Christi
Structural Engineer: Walter P. Moore & Associates, Houston
MEP Engineer: Bovay Engineering Inc. Houston
Civil Engineer: MEI Govind, Corpus

Arena only:
General Contractors: Fulton & Coastcon, Corpus Christi
Architect of Record: Arquitectonia Sports Design, Miami
Glass: Ranger Glass, Houston
Metal panels: EMCO, San Antonio; Engineered Metals Co, Fair Oaks
Masonry: Sid Smith Masonry, Corpus Christi