by KYW's Steve Tawa

The Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority has opened the bids for the most expensive phase of the center's expansion, and a Delaware Valley-based joint venture -- the same joint venture that won the phase-one contract with a bid 20 percent over budget -- is the apparent low bidder.

But no one was revealing immediately whether the phase-two bid is over budget or not.

Project executive Joe Resta received a ton of paperwork from two joint ventures. 

On Thursday he opened those bids, first opening a nearly $323-million bid from Buckley and Company of Philadelphia and Walsh Construction of Chicago. But as he read off the numbers for the second bid, it was apparent that the numbers were lower:

"The second bid is from the Keating joint venture, total base contract bid, $294 million, 499 thousand."

And that was that. The joint venture of Daniel Keating Company and Keating Building Construction (two companies run by brothers) was  the apparent winner in doing the final part of the building in what will be a more than $700 million expansion. 

Now comes the tedious process: for several weeks, and up to two months, officials will evaluate the specifications and cost.

While no one is willing to say whether the last construction phase is within budget, the first phase, also awarded to Keating, was 20 percent over budget for the foundation, concrete, and steel work.

Land acquisition and demolition is still a pliable number, at about $225 million, although some property owners in the path of the project are currently in court, disputing payments.

(File photo by KYW's John Ostapkovich)