Dems set to start convention build-out

DENVER, July 6 (UPI) -- Crews are set to begin construction at Denver's Pepsi Center to get it ready for the Democratic presidential nominating convention, officials said.

Dave Jolette, the center's general manager, said the multimillion dollar transformation set to begin Monday will be "enormous," The Denver Post reported Sunday. Retail spaces in the arena, as well as the NBA Denver Nuggets and NHL Colorado Avalanche locker rooms have been cleared out.

"There are weights up there that are bigger than you or I," Jolette said of the Nuggets' weight room.

Qwest has donated several million dollars' worth of telecommunications equipment to outfit the hall and the media village that will go up outside the hall with 3,000 data lines and 2,500 voice-grade circuits for the August convention.

Xcel Energy is donating extra transformers to power thousands of computers, cameras and microphones.

The facility's ceiling needs to be reinforced to hold an estimated 300,000 pounds of lighting equipment.

"It's kind of like a house party at your house that you're not hosting," Jolette said.

Kroenke Arean Co., which owns the Pepsi Center, will collect about $6.5 million for leasing the facility for seven weeks of construction, one week of the convention and two weeks of reconstruction, the newspaper said.