The Bellevue Convention Center Authority expects to award bids next week for the Meydenbauer Center’s $12.5-million renovation, closing the venue through the summer for construction.

“For the first time in 20 years, the Meydenbauer Center will be closed,” said BCCA Chairman Rick Carlson to the city council on Monday.

Carlson said the BCCA board expects to award bids at their March 24 meeting, which includes interior, exterior and technology upgrades. He added the exterior color of the Meydenbauer Center will be changed to better match with the Bravern buildings clustered around it.

Executive Director Stacy Graven began reviewing the bids on Tuesday, said Sharon Linton, marketing and communications manager for Visit Bellevue, adding a complete design won’t be known until next week.

“We don’t have a design until we know what we can afford,” she said. “We have a lot of great sketches, right now, but some of them might have to come off the table.”

Construction is expected to start June 15 and take 88 days to complete, the center already booked for an event the day after. Linton said a summer construction schedule works because hotels are busiest while the center sees less usage.

“People don’t always want to get together and go to meetings in the summer,” she said. “It’s the best time to do it, but it’s still hard to have it offline for 88 days.”