The Spokane Public Facilities District has dedicated hundreds of meetings and thousands of hours to working out details of a $79 million expansion project for the Spokane Convention Center. After so much work, it might seem absurd to pause now and reconsider some of the PFD board's most important decisions.

But it's not absurd. It's imperative. Too much is at stake to dismiss the challenges that have been raised by people whose honor, dedication to community and expertise -- like those of the PFD board members -- are exemplary.

Sometimes, fresh eyes spot opportunities and perils that others have missed.

Walt Worthy and Tom Power joined the PFD board at the end of last year. Worthy, who since has resigned in frustration, is the developer who restored and reopened the Davenport Hotel. He and Power, owner and manager of the Fernwell Building in downtown Spokane, have made some pointed observations: More expertise should have been brought to bear on site selection and project management. Property acquisition strategy should have been more hard-nosed. Parking needs should have been addressed more responsibly.

Worthy conceded at a meeting on Tuesday that it's too late to alter the decision to expand the Convention Center to the east, rather than across Spokane Falls Boulevard to the south. The southward option had been envisioned in the Spokane Downtown Plan and was favored by the Spokane Downtown Partnership, not to mention 11 of 13 event planners who were convened for a recent focus group discussion about the project.

Power insists it's not too late. Lower land acquisition costs would enable other aspects of the project to be improved. Is he right? The full PFD board owed him respectful consideration of the plausible points he raised. Instead, deals to acquire east-site land held by the DoubleTree Hotel and Azteca Restaurant were reportedly being sealed heading into this weekend.

Conclusion of those transactions would change the financial situation, possibly making even Power see that situation differently. As it is, the PFD expects to spend some $17 million acquiring property needed for various aspects of the project. That steep sum might have been lower if the PFD had relied more on condemnation and less on negotiation for this essential public project.

One critically important issue still begs for further discussion. Project planners have given assurances that parking will be adequate, at least in numbers. Worthy and Power say it's a wash at best. A parking specialist for the Downtown Spokane Partnership has examined the PFD's inventory of area parking and contends it's unclear where those spaces are, and what uses the Convention Center would be competing with.

By everyone's estimation, the Convention Center expansion is a vital project for Spokane's vitality. Admittedly, time is growing short, but it is not yet exhausted. Taking another earnest look at some of these questions could be the difference between reflecting on a finished project with pride or with regret.