Merle Widmer has an update on the proposed Peoria Riverfront Museum:
No Museum construction this year. No Caterpillar Visitors Construction this year. Why not? The private sector hasn’t come up with the money they promised the county before the county agreed to put the issue on a referendum. Now officials are saying that no ground on either project will be broken until the middle of 2010.
They’re still short on funds, and negotiations between the city, county, and museum group aren’t going very well. Gives you a lot of confidence that this thing will really be successful if it ever gets built, doesn’t it?
And all we get stuck with is the extra tax! This tax should not be imposed until a construction plan that includes all of the funding needed for this project is presented. I know that the chances of this happening are slim so we must demand that our elected representatives disclose fully how the tax funds are being used.
This whole project has been handled poorly from the beginning. This concept has been in place for most of this decade and now is closer (thanks to tax payer dollars) of being built but is still far away. I would bet the odds are less than 50% that this project is under construction at this time next year but the tax money certainly is not going to be sitting in an escrow account waiting for construction.
Since when are we relying on Merle Widmer of all people for “museum updates?” That’s like entrusting the aforementioned Roman Polanski with nurturing a girls’ orphanage.
If you’re interested in a status report on the project, suggest you check with Brad McMillan, Michael Bryant or one of the civic leaders involved.
“If you’re interested in a status report on the project, suggest you check with Brad McMillan, Michael Bryant or one of the civic leaders involved.”
Would be happy to. As soon as one of them steps forward with any information. It’s been pretty quiet from that corner since April 7th.
Sorry to sidetrack, but who just bought the Cornerstone Building?
He’s on the Peoria County Board, which is providing $40 million for the project. It has now become a public project, and reports are made to the County Board. He’s also the only person to comment publicly on the project lately. Why wouldn’t we rely on him for an update?
You consider them reliable sources? Aren’t these the people who said they would start construction … um … now? And aren’t they the ones who said they’d be able to quickly raise the rest of the money once the voters forked over $40M? And didn’t one of these people falsely accuse me by name of spreading misinformation at a public forum?
And why do we need to go to these people to get an update? What, have they forgotten how to communicate to us unsolicited? We got plenty of unsolicited updates and information before April! I guess now that the money’s in the bank, so to speak, we’re all on a need-to-know basis, huh?
Feh. Yeah, I’ll ask them for an update right after I ask Hinton for an update on how much it will save to close Woodruff High School.
Steve J:
Because Merle Widmer does a good job, that’s why.
Well, is it time to think up another new shiny toy that will save Peoria?
Merle has it right on the museum. McMillan is the Roman Polanski in charge of the girls orphanage here. Mr. Transparent and Ethics has been anything but transparent and ethical to ram the museum project down the community’s throat. Building the museum was essential in McMillan’s view so they had a scheme to hide campaign funding sources from the public. Just shameful ethics.
I’ll bet a nickel Cat ends up with their visitor center in East Peoria…anybody wanna take that bet?
http://www.eastpeoria2010.com/new.asp
Cameron – I think you could possibly be correct. The developer has some very tight ties with the executive office.
Cameron – Why would we want to take a bet against our own community? I hope you are wrong.
There already is another sort of Cat museum planned for East Peoria. It isn’t the same but it involves Cat history on some level.
The Peoria Cat facility is to be a visitor’s center – not a museum. The proposed museum at the former Sear’s location is actually unrelated in terms of material to be presented. It is to be a moving of the Peoria Lakeview facility to the river front area.
Cat may eventually provide a Cat facility to showcase history and promote product. It might be East Peoria for a variety of reasons. Riverfront access might be possible. Also the vast acreage of new development being started in the former track type tractor could be a location.
Previously pointed out by me, Cat does not need the Washington Street visitor center. It has the Cat World Headquarters in Peoria, the Track Type Tractor Headquarters in East Peoria, other office and display facilities in Central Illinois.
My vote for the Sear’s space was to fill it, provide grass, trees, walk paths, toilets….. but then, I am not a consultant from 50 miles away with a briefcase.
I don’t recall if Caterpillar stated if the Peoria Visitor Center was to have public access. No sense getting excited about the idea of Cat memorabilia at the Sear’s location as it is not intended to be a public museum.
Merle may be cranky on occasion, but his observations of the politics and public spending vanities of the City Chiefs (no slight to the Indians) have been generally accurate.
I find it curious that all of the most out-spoken advocates for the museum, prior to the ‘vote,’ have suddenly grown silent.
How many of you who voted YES for the [museum] tax are suddenly feeling a little…. betrayed?
What if CAT was/is trying to discretely distance itself from the entire museum project? Does it really want to associate itself with a project that is failing, and a group of so-called ‘civic leaders’ who have so utterly dropped the ball?
I forgot……
I will be curious to see if CAT builds its visitor’s center in E. Peoria or any where else for that matter. I seem to recall CAT reps stating [rather bluntly] that the visitor’s center would NEVER be built without the museum………………………..
Interesting.
Steve J.,
Anything else you would like to add?
Trust that fact twisting , phony Mikie O’bie…………………………….gimme a frickin break jack
“Previously pointed out by me, Cat does not need the Washington Street visitor center. It has the Cat World Headquarters in Peoria, the Track Type Tractor Headquarters in East Peoria, other office and display facilities in Central Illinois.
My vote for the Sear’s space was to fill it, provide grass, trees, walk paths, toilets….. but then, I am not a consultant from 50 miles away with a briefcase.”
A hall for playing ping pong could be added for the Sears block project. Also, consider moving the Bradley Park Asian bridge there. In a few years, Asians will have bought or replaced the major U.S. corporate industries. Hummer will be the tip of the iceberg.
The city picture now appears to be: Build a hotel with unneeded capacity replacing existing buildings of architectural interest and adequate business with funds collected from already existing but under used facilities, build a new museum to replace an already scarcely attended facility, reduce police and fire personnel in a city with an above National average crime rate. Increase occupancy and business activity along Washington Street while reducing the lanes for vehicle access.
PiaProgressive,
Are you telling me the new Regional Museum WILL NOT fix all of those problems?
But we have a new tax in place and everything!!!
Steve J? Comment?
I wonder if Peorians voted for the museum tax with an impression that it would be a display of Caterpillar history and equipment. Sort of a vote of appreciation for past years of employment and civic support. It wasn’t misrepresented. The public just heard what they wanted to hear.
Linkage comments have been persistent and wrong. They are two separate entities. A visitor center is likely to include Caterpillar related historic memorabilia but may not be public. The museum will have the same stuff from Lakeview that has such enthusiastic attendance.
Grass over the Sears block and save the money for things that matter. Or else: Escape to Wisconsin!
Read carefully – there could be a test later. The Peoria plan now appears to be:
Build a hotel with unneeded capacity replacing existing buildings of architectural interest and adequate business with funds collected from already existing but under used facilities.
Build a new museum to replace an already scarcely attended facility.
Reduce police and fire personnel in a city with an above National average crime rate.
Increase occupancy and business activity along Washington Street while reducing the lanes for vehicle access.
Has anybody heard any news whatsoever about the Marriott project? What happened to the loan request from the Illinois Capital Board?
Anything at all?
PJStar needs to do an update.