VIDALIA &8212; A delay in receiving necessary building supplies for the Gateway Center may be a good thing for the city of Vidalia.

Increasing difficulty in acquiring building materials and rising prices are slowing Vidalia&8217;s Gateway Center construction, but it will be paid for when it&8217;s finished, Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said.

Two grants have been applied for in the projects progress, each grant in the amount of $2 million. One grant is applied for through capital outlay and the other is a UDAY grant, Copeland said. The center is estimated to cost $7 million and currently has $4.9 million of the total cost of the facility.

&8220;The day we open the facility it will be paid for and we will be able to operate the facility with about five people,&8221; Copeland said.

The center will have the latest in electronics technology and will be marketed throughout the Southeastern United States, he said.

&8220;There has been a delay of materials and were approximately 90 days behind schedule. Hopefully it will be ready about the middle of August,&8221; Copeland said. &8220;The plus side to the delay is the opportunity to acquire additional funding for the expansion of the complex.&8221;

The complex will offer maximum capacity seating of 1500 people. A stadium style setup can be used to accommodate the largest crowd, but setups offering fewer accommodations will be available if necessary, Copeland said.

Uses for the new construction will be widespread, Copeland said, but housing evacuees if the need arises will also be a function of the building. The facility will be approximately 37,000 square feet.

The original plans for the facility called for 26,000 square feet, but new plans accommodate larger groups of people, including expanded space for an industrial kitchen, showers, larger restroom facilities and storage and meeting space.

The city has not applied for any bonds or loans to pay for the building, Copeland said.