PANAMA’S  ability to attract  conferences will get a shot in the arm  from the redesigning of the stalled Convention Center  in Amador and plans for a center in Boquete

The Panama Tourism Authority has announced that it has redesigned the Amador project, which has been suspended for a year after the original construction company ran out of money.

Authority Manager Gustavo Him said  that the building will be used for conventions and "not social events," which he said will generate more revenue.

He explained that the new design includes more parking, more flor space and new entries. It will cost $193.7 million and be ready in mid-2018.

He also announced plans to build a convention center in Boquete.

The consortium CCA-COCIGE, which consists of CCA Building Panama, S.A., China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd. and Construcciones Civiles Generales, S.A., is now in charge of the project.

This controversial project was awarded to the consortium HPC-Contrata-P&V. But in December 2014 it informed the authorities that it did not have the liquidity to finish it.

The transfer to the new entity was approved in January.