FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A groundbreaking ceremony Monday afternoon, kicked off the Expo Center Expansion Project at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

The Expo Center expansion will consist of more than 50,000 square feet of new space, including approximately 29,000 square feet of multi-purpose event space and expanded pre-function and service areas. Funding for the nearly $15 million project comes from earned tax revenues collected within the Professional Sports & Convention Development Area (PSCDA), which boundaries include the Memorial Coliseum.

“The new facility will enable the Coliseum to attract back events that have outgrown the space and accommodate our large exhibition events that have been asking for more space,” said Randy Brown, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. “This expansion will further increase the over $100 million annual economic benefit of the Memorial Coliseum to the greater Allen County community.”

Construction is expected to start immediately and be finished before January of 2016.