For months now city residents have been watching the Civic Center quickly taking shape. At 55 thousand square feet and 70 feet high, it is an impressive sight on the Belize City skyline. But, how does inside look? And does it actually suit the purpose for which it was designed - which is to be a world class basketball facility?
Tough questions, and the truth is that we Belizeans have learned well to look those glistening gift horses very closely in the mouth - because when it comes to public contracts, what you see, and what you should get, are very rarely what you actually get. So today, the design firm which is also the co-contractor called the media in for a two hour long walk through of the largest and most expensive structure in Belize's history. Jules Vasquez tried to figure if it's worth all those millions:.
Jules Vasquez reporting
At 32 million dollars, it's the most expensive public or private structure ever built in Belize. Today the designers and co-contractors - who are the Arguelles brothers from the I.E. design and build firm led the media on a walk through to tell us, first of all, the project is on time and on budget:
Voice of: Daniel Arguelles, ARCHITECT - I.E. "We have the building set for handing over substantial competitions sometime in late September. We were given 2 years to execute this work from pen to paper to finish turnkey completion by December of this year. We are in this current time ahead of schedule by 3 months. We are currently at and within budget and we project that we will remain within budget up until handing over the total amount of 32 million."
And for 32 million dollars, Belizean get a truly first class, first world type facility, fully air conditioned, and capable of seating - in individual chairs - 4,500 persons with another 500 standing. The eye line with the court is outstanding and the view is unobstructed. The wooden court is FIBA certified and is being installed by the US Company, same for the FIBA grade basketball rim stands.
Daniel Arguelles, ARCHITECT - I.E. "If somebody walks away from this building and says in there looks like States, we have made it, so to speak, and we are here to show people that in Belize we can do it."
But, we're also in the hurricane belt - and that's why it is multi-purpose:
Daniel Arguelles, ARCHITECT - I.E. "The building occupies or serves about three purposes; hurricane shelter, multifaceted entertainment facility. It can host concerts, boxing, entertainment type venues, conventions and of course basketball, volleyball sporting venues and that is FIBA standard."
It's sprawling and towering, and it has four locker rooms, multiple concession stands, VIP areas, even a doctor's treatment room - and it's all air conditioned and tiled, every single area. And while it is a public facility, Arguelles says it should be privately managed:
Jules Vasquez "The building has to be run by a private management firm which is not the sports council or the Ministry of Sports. It has to be run by a firm, a private entity that is running this for profit as a business to maintain the structure."
Daniel Arguelles, ARCHITECT - I.E. "In my opinion yes. A business owner, manager or a company of some type of pubic private partnership or some equation of that kind of business model is necessary to run this building."
And outside the building, there are also facilities to engage the neighborhood and the wider community:
Daniel Arguelles, ARCHITECT - I.E. "We didn't want to incorporate fences we needed it to be inviting for the public. We have a built in basketball rims full court and 2 half courts, so that 3:30 when the kids are out on their way home, they could stop in to have a game or two. We also have a 5 on 5 soccer pitch where again, it's available for the public to just interact. We have a green pitch that is just open for general workout activity and exercise activity. For example, we even included a 45 meter dash sprint track, that is coated with 1 inch thick rubberized material. We are going to install a deck facility, a docking facility at the river's edge where it can double as a water taxi micro business opportunity. So what we envisioned is that in the future, people from Ladyville or Belama on game day, instead of taking the bus or being caught up in traffic, somebody can have the opportunity to run water taxi along the Haulover Creek and make a good business opportunity."
Yes, Arguelles did ask to appear off camera. As he noted, the building will be handed over three months early in September.
And one side note, Arguelles says the venue can be used for indoor and outdoor concerts. For the indoor events, the court will have a FIBA approved covering for the court to ensure that it is not damaged.
They estimate that it will consume almost four hundred thousand dollars' worth of electricity annually.
Tomorrow we'll tell you more about the features of the building as a hurricane shelter.
Two years after the start of construction, the Belize City Center is about to be completed. The multipurpose facility is state-of-the-art and can accommodate up to four thousand spectators. It is designed by brothers Daniel and Carlo Arguelles of International Environments. But how much is being spent on the complex? I.E. representative Daniel says they have kept within budget. News Five's Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The reimagined Belize City Center, built from the ground up, will stand as a hallmark of the Barrow administration, with funds set aside from the PetroCaribe days of plenty.� That's according to Prime Minister Dean Barrow.� The project has been two years in the making and is nearing completion.� Designed by brothers Daniel and Carlo Arguelles of International Environments and erected by Medina's Construction, the state-of-the-art sporting complex is a lot to take in visually.� This afternoon, the media was allowed onto the site for a walk through of the ongoing development and we've seen at first look is quite impressive.
Voice of: Daniel Arguelles, International Environments
"We have the building set for handing over, substantial completion in September, sometime in late September.� We were given two years to execute this work from pen to paper, to finished turnkey completion by December of this year.� We are, in this current time, ahead of schedule by three months and we hope to have the building done by the end of September."
Once completed, the multipurpose facility will be able to comfortably accommodate up to four thousand, five hundred occupants with individual seating.� The prominent feature inside this vast steel frame and concrete structure is a FIBA certified basketball court which is being configured for adaptability.
Voice of: Daniel Arguelles
"As design build, which encompasses the concept of designing with the intent to meet a budget and throughout the design process we had to and accomplished getting all the requirements under the program given to us by our client, to house in this facility everything and a little more because of design efficiencies.� And in doing so, we have, being the architect and contractors together, we are able to mitigate the efficiencies that comes with design versus new bidding processes and unforeseen.� So in this project in particular, there was little to no unforeseen because of the design intent that we had from the vision from the start."
That vision also includes being able to use this massive construction as somewhat of a doomsday shelter for emergency management personnel in the event of a catastrophic natural disaster.
Voice of: Daniel Arguelles
"We were able to accomplish a building that is designed to withstand earthquake seismic activity in this region, hurricanes up to a category five and encapsulate most of all the accessories that is needed to run an operation like this, meaning the business factor.� The building has to be operated and designed in a manner that it will foster business, and in doing so we added anchor tenancy opportunities, micro business opportunities and in and outside the building opportunities so that the generation of business can make this project work."
At peak usage, approximately three hundred and forty-five thousand dollars is needed to cover electricity expenses, therefore the venue would have to be utilized at least once or twice a month.� By doing so the operational costs of maintaining the building would also be covered.� For that idea to become a reality, the new city center has to be ran as a private business.
Voice of: Daniel Arguelles
"In my opinion, yes.� And for the sole purposes that a business owner, manager or a company of some type of public/private partnership or some equation of that kind of business model is necessary to run this building for it to function under the standards that we had designed or intended for it to operate.� So yes, in my opinion, it would be the best case scenario.� It is not the only scenario but it is the preferred or recommended scenario."
With a hefty price tag to boot, many believe that construction of the building has significantly exceeded government's budget.� According to Daniel Arguelles, the project is well within the thirty-two million dollar outlay.
Voice of: Daniel Arguelles
"We are currently at and within budget and we project that we will remain within budget up until handing over in the total amount of thirty-two million.� With that thirty-two million, the building occupies or can be or serves about three purposes: hurricane shelter, a multifaceted entertainment facility, it can host concerts, boxing, entertainment type venues, conventions and of course basketball, volleyball, sporting venues."
The new Belize City Civic Center is taking shape at the foot of the Belcan bridge and is expected to be completed by December. This multi-purpose mega facility will boast:
An air-conditioned interior with a seating capacity of 4,500
A FIBA certified wooden main court and three practice courts
Offices, media boxes and multiple locker-rooms
Another basketball court with 24-hour access to the public
Parking for 200 vehicles
This $33 million investment highlights a new era of world class sporting infrastructure for the entire country of Belize.
The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.
AmbergrisCaye.com 
For months now city residents have been watching the Civic Center quickly taking shape. At 55 thousand square feet and 70 feet high, it is an impressive sight on the Belize City skyline. But, how does inside look? And does it actually suit the purpose for which it was designed - which is to be a world class basketball facility?
