Work on the Paynesville American Legion is progressing and should be completed next week.
"We expect to be in the new building by Oct. 26," Joe Kremer, building committee chairperson, said. "We have experienced unexpected delays, which have put the project behind schedule." The building was expected to be completed by the first of October.
The new kitchen was installed last week and the banquet room is completed. The majority of the work in the formal dining room is done, except for the carpeting. Carpeting crews were working in the Legion the week of Oct. 11.
Kremer said the bar area was expected to be completed by Oct. 20.
The new American Legion is a steel structure which measures about 80 by 112 feet. The American Legion is located on the west edge of Paynesville between Alco Discount Store and Country Inn.
The new structure contains a lounge area, formal dining area which seats about 65 people, a banquet room with seating for 350 people, and a full kitchen. Barb Kotten will be in charge of the kitchen.
Estimated cost of the new structure is about $450,000, which includes new furnishings and a paved parking lot with about 140 spaces.
The Paynesville American Legion post started contemplating the possibility of a new facility about five years ago.
However, they were told they could not use any of their gambling funds towards its construction. The funds could only be used toward renovating the old structure, making it handicap accessible.
Representative Doug Stang and Senator Michelle Fischbach carried a bill through the Legislature in 1998 which enables the Legion to use charitable gambling profits from pull tabs and bingo ($87,000), to either improve handicap accessibility or to replace an out-of-compliance facility with a new one that satisfies American Disabilities Act standards.
Ground was broken on Memorial Day for the new building.