by KYW’s Mike Dunn
A vote on the plan to expand the Pennsylvania Convention Center is being held up by City Council members who want more minority-owned firms included in the construction.
The $700 million Convention Center expansion is the biggest public works project ever in Pennsylvania. After conducting what is called a "disparity study," officials decided to set aside one quarter of the construction work for minority and female-owned companies.
But at a lengthy hearing, council members like Wilson Goode complained that for this deal, that percentage should be higher:
"My thought would be, on the largest project in the history of the Commonwealth that you look to pull from around the country, and do a disparity based on that. So I'm challenging your disparity study, and saying it’s a bunch of crap."
Others agreed and council put off a vote on this until next week.
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