Like the starting line, the finish line was drawn by Outdoor Retailer. Bodell Construction committed to having the facility ready to host the 2006 Summer Market, which opens Thursday, and Beck said it'll be ready.

"We had weekly inspections with Outdoor Retailer," Beck said. "They came out every week, and said, 'OK, we're not too worried if this part doesn't get done, but this other part has to get done.' They really helped us manage that process. So we're right on schedule. Right on time."

The Salt Palace will be 100 percent complete in November, after finish work, art and other decorative touches, Beck said. Over the next three months, crews will test every light switch and hinge.

Looking ahead, Beck said he's confident Salt Lake will be able to draw the big shows, and he is undaunted by the prospect of selling the city during the much-anticipated redevelopment project, across the street from the convention center, by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"With this new west entrance, The Gateway is now a block from the convention center," he said. "We have the ability now to manage that process in light of the fact that we now have a beautiful entrance that can serve as an entrance to the convention center," he said.

"And we plan on making those shifts once that (redevelopment) project gets under way. So the building has turned out to be a great fit for the future needs we have based on the development of Salt Lake. The idea of that change isn't really affecting us negatively as it relates to selling the destination. We just know when it comes, it will be that much more significant a destination."

Expanded Salt Palace details

• 145,000 square feet of additional exhibit space

• 72,000 square feet of additional meeting room space

• 26,000 cubic yards of concrete, enough to lay a sidewalk from Salt Lake City to Wendover, Nev.

• 12 miles of plumbing pipe and 318 new plumbing fixtures, including 32 waterless urinals — the most of any facility in Utah — which are projected to save about 1.2 million gallons of water annually

• 404 new parking stalls, increasing Salt Palace parking by about 80 percent

• The largest solar power lighting system installed to date in Utah — enough to light the new underground parking garage

---

E-mail: jnii@desnews.com