Originally deeded to a private development group, the city of West Palm Beach gained control about 10 years over the development site and several adjoining parcels when the development group couldn't complete a proposed public-private mixed-used venture.

The turn of events ultimately kicked off a building boom that saw the county invest nearly $125 million in a county courthouse building, $30 million to build the Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts and private development of the $550 million Palladium at CityPlace, a 55-acre mixed-use retail, entertainment and residential project adjoining the planned convention center and hotel project.

About three weeks ago, the Palm Beach County Commission awarded the development contract on the convention center to Clark Construction Co. of Washington, D.C. The county awarded the design and architectural contract to locally based Schwab Twitty & Hanser Architectural Group and Atlanta-based Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates.

In exchange for building the convention center, Foster says, the city deeded the 21-acre development site to the county on March 30 and agreed to contribute $250,000 a year to the convention center's operations. The county is contributing about $5 million a year in bonded debt financing, funded through a half-cent assessment through the county's four-cent hotel bed tax.

It is unlikely the convention center project would have gained popular support without pledging revenue-backed bonds.

"Any time you do something of this magnitude in the community, you have to have support from the community," Foster says. "That took a while to get. You have to understand that our (property-tax millage rate) is just four mils. So I think there was this fear that ad valorem taxes would be used to fund the project."

With the convention center now firmly on track, Foster says much of the attention is now aimed at finalizing development plans on the proposed 400-room hotel.

The Palm Beach County Convention & Visitors Bureau, which is overseeing development of the convention center, has awarded a contract for day-to-day operations to Global Spectrum, a division of Comcast. The county-affiliated bureau, however, has decided to create its own internal booking operation.

Early discussions are under way with Westin Hotels & Resorts Inc., an affiliate of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, over the possible development of at least a four-star level hotel. "The flag has yet to be determined," Foster says.