The new choices for museum names have been released, and they’re about 1000% better than the previous ones. See if you don’t agree:
- PORT OF EXPLORATION MUSEUM:
The Peoria Center for Art, History, Science and Achievement - ILLINOIS RIVER VALLEY MUSEUM:
The Peoria Center for Art, History, Science and Achievement - HEARTLAND CENTER:
The Peoria Museum of Art, History, Science and Achievement - PEORIA RIVERFRONT MUSEUM:
The Center for Art, History, Science and Achievement - MUSEUM ON THE SQUARE:
The Center for Art, History, Science and Achievement
All the advertisements start off with the self-congratulatory opening line, “We heard you!” That is gratifying, and I’ll give them credit for that. I’ll also give them credit for not making “Lakeview” a choice, as I’m sure that would push the other museum partners right over the edge. By and large, the new names are more meaningful. There are still a couple of holdovers from the first voting, but the most ridiculous names (AMAZEum, ExploraSphere) have been rightfully thrown in the dustbin.
Not surprisingly, I’ll be voting for Peoria Riverfront Museum. You can vote for your favorite at www.namethemuseum.org.
Here is our release on the new names. We apologize for the list posted, our internet site listed Port of Exploration Museum twice. The correct list is below.
We heard you, so the Peoria Museum Partners Invite Community
to Help Choose Name from New Options
Peoria, IL, September 29, 2006 – Think no one cares what a museum is named? Not so, judging from the responses when the Museum Collaboration Partners asked for opinions on potential names a few weeks ago. Opinions ranged from “I love these names, can’t decide which I like the best!†to “Did five year olds come up with these names?†So, the partners are saying, “We heard you.â€
The name for the new, one-of-a-kind museum planned on the riverfront in Peoria is a critical part of its identity. More than 4,000 opinions, comments and suggestions rolled in during the first polling. Many offered name suggestions and also asked that Peoria appear in the name. The partners are going back to the community for their opinions with two favorites from the original options — Port of Exploration Museum and Museum on the Square — and three more developed through the months of visitor research and testing, and from community input. The “NAME IT again!†campaign will run from today, Friday, Sept. 29 through noon Oct. 9. The partners will announce the new name shortly after polling ends.
The five choices are:
Port of Exploration Museum
The Peoria Center for Art, History, Science & Achievement
Museum on the Square
The Peoria Center for Art, History, Science & Achievement
Illinois River Valley Museum
The Peoria Center for Art, History, Science & Achievement
Peoria Riverfront Museum
The Center for Art, History, Science & Achievement
Heartland Center
The Peoria Museum of Art, History, Science & Achievement
People can choose their favorite by going online at http://www.namethemuseum.org or by filling out a printed form provided at convenient locations around Peoria, including all CEFCU member centers, Proctor Center, the Riverplex, Owens Center, Lakeview Museum, Morton Culver’s Restaurant, Illinois Antique Center, Contemporary Art Center, Peoria Civic Center, Lakeview YWCA, Saturday Riverfront Farmer’s Market, Illinois Central College, Bradley University, Peoria Historical Society offices, Peoria Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Riverfront Visitor’s Center, all Peoria Public Library branches, the Pere Marquette Hotel and InPlay
How about “The TIF Museum”? Or “The Big Yellow Museum”. Since it kind of was a suck up to Cat. I feel like pulling what’s left of my hair out.
How is the museum a suck up to Cat? Just wondering.
Actually,
The question is, how is Peoria’s govt a “suck up to CAT.” CAT does go on about how if there is no museum, there will be no CAT visit center. Yeah right.
How is it a suck up to Cat? Are you kidding? Cat had record profits last year, and we are going to pay for thier museum. There’s one example. I could go on and on how bad this idea is on OUR Riverfront, but it would take me to long. We are never going to attract urban development when a museum closes at 5:00PM. We need to build a nice river plaza, or walkway there to attract housing. Not tourist. Cat needs a “Visiters Center” like we need another bar in Peoria. Let them build it, let them pay for it.
Cat is building and paying for their Visitors Center. The museum is separate from that, and is raising private dollars to build it. How do you know when the museum will close? They will be showing first-run movies in their giant screen theater and that will be at night. So, I still don’t understand how the new museum is a suck up to Cat?
JUSTANOBSERVER,
Please. Ask yourself, why is CAT so interestd in this museum? They have their own little task force centered around the museum and their vist center. They have stated several times that if the reg museum is not built, CAT will not build vist center. Why is anybodys guess. Bradley, Lakeview, Regional Museum, Peoria….. all suck up to CAT. Get it!
“Cat is building and paying for their Visitors Center.”
Yes, but Peoria is building and paying for their underground parking deck.
Bait and Switch !!!
CJ: I’ve been trying to get financial information on the new museum. Can you direct me to a source that shows the city is paying for parking? If so, is it a tradeoff for Cat paying for the demolition of the site, which I believe Peoria received federal money for many years ago but didn’t use for that purpose?
We still love how they insist on calling it the “Peoria Museum of Art, History, Science, and Achievement.” That is a pretty tall order. This is still ridiculous. I am sorry. No name, no money, no real plan for a museum. Ms. Woith spent a lot of time answering questions, etc. Again, I am sorry, but it sounds like the same old ‘prepared-for-the-media’ crap we have been hearing for years now.
Think on this, are they going to figure the 55% rate increase into the operating budget of the museum?
Mr. Janz and Mr. Creedy – let me attempt to explain this issue on the Caterpillar Visitor Center. Caterpillar has existed for over 80 years now without a Visitor Center and the company does not need such a facility to be successful in the future. There are many, many other areas that the company could spend the approximatley $35M that the Visitor Cente will cost instead of plowing that money into a project to assist with the development of downtown Peoria, retiree healthcare to name a very simple, straightforward area. If you go back to the first redevelopment agreement between the City and the Museum Collaboration Group, the Museum was to get about 2/3 of the Sears Block, and the remaining 1/3 was city property which the City retained the right to develop as they could.
In a simple terms, Caterpillar stepped forward and said, OK, we’ll buy and develop that remaining 1/3 of the Sears Block if you (the Museum Group and the city) will switch the parcels (so that the CAT parcel was on the eastern edge of the block kitty corner from their Administration Building). And the City said, “OK, but instead of paying us cash, why don’t you pay for the demolition of the buildings on the site and we’ll take that in trade for the property. That way we can get the site demolished and demonstrate to the citizens that something is actually moving ahead on the site, instead of just looking at those unoccupied buildings for another couple of years.
Now, is it in Caterpillar’s best intersts to have an alive and vibrant downtown Peoria, very much so. But, as the company has stated numerous times, if the community does not provide the financial support to make the museum a viable entity, then the company has the right to ask the city for a cash payment for the demolition, and the city will then have the entire site to develop in some other fashion.
to Just an Observer – you’re correct, there’s $3.8M thats has been allocated from the Feds for construction of parking and related infrastructure improvements on the Sears Block site. That money will be administered by IDOT. That’s why IDOT will be bidding and awarding the contract for the construction of the parking deck. Caterpillar has committed a total of $1.6M for this portion of the project (for instance, out of that total amount, Caterpillar is paying for the architectural work to design the parking deck and develop the construction documents that will then be given to IDOT for their review before bidding the job). In exchange for the City Council agreeing to give all of the TIF proceeds from the Museum Square Developement to the Museum, the Museum agreed to fund the remainder of the costs of the parking deck and the related infrastructure improvements. Since there would be no TIF proceeds without the development, the City is not paying a penny for the development of this parking deck, even though it will be on city property and will be owned by the city. It has to be owned by the city in order to use the federal money.
KATMAN,
Yes, Yes. We all know this. The question still stands. What if the museum does not acquire needed funds? Katmandu2 IS right. CAT could spend $35 million in other areas, which is another reason I am sure this entire project remains so popular with the public. Also, forget going back to the first agreement between Museum Collaboration Group and the city. The ORIGINAL plan was to develop a smaller [affordable] history museum in Peoria. If CAT is so interested in seeing an “alive and vibrant” downtown, why is building a visitor center and supporting this ridiculous museum? Let us just wait and see as this unfolds. I will be curious to see where all of the construction contracts go……!
Thanks Katmandu2 for clarification. There is nothing simple about this project but I do believe those who have been working to years to accomplish something good on the Sears block are doing it for the benefit of the community, not for any kind of personal gain. Things evolve, and going back to the original this and the original that doesn’t make any difference today. The original proponents of a small history museum inside a hotel couldn’t get the job done. The current historical society leadership apparently recognizes the challenges of trying to go it alone, and endorse the concept that is now unfolding.
Of course they are! We know the people who have been working on this project for years are doing it for the “community.” That is why the “community” is throwing money at them! Give us all a very big break! The current leadership of the history society, Lakeview, etc is the same people. Save us all your business ramble. Like we’ve heard, whose legacy is it really?
Grand Teton: I’m new to all this and didn’t mean to re-state what’s already been said. Sorry. I guess I would agree that people who give their time and effort to the community many times are the “same people” or at least the same kind of people. But, would it be better if nobody tried?
Observer,
Perhaps. I do not mean to get radical. One of the links to this site is COMMON SENSE PEORIA. Read his blog dated Tuesday, Aug 08, 2006. “Rise and Fall of Peoria.” This city has a history of fairly botched projects. Maybe it is a circle of money and politics that is difficult to break into. We must admit, if the public does not speak up…? Well Peoria gets what it deserves. Lakeview received somewhere in neighborhood of 150 votes during the name game. What is total population of Peoria/Peoria area? I would NOT say that this was anything near a positive response [in the museum period]. Someone keeps pushing this museum…why?