Thursday, November 15, 2012

Peoria Riverfront Museum - Administrator Downplays Weak Attendance Numbers

Riverfront Museum Administrator defends lower projected attendance figures on WMBD TV by saying it is the quality of the exhibits and not the attendance figures that count. It appears Mr. Richerson is confused as to all the hype generated to pass the referendum by a slim margin of 400 votes out of 30,000 cast. Over $600,000.00 was spent by the museum people to sell the public that a museum should be built. With PROJECTED  museum attendance of 240,000 now backtracked to 60,000 LESS.

The Journal Star was a heavy supporter of the museum, saying two years ago that the funds had been raised, so why not move ahead. Actually, as late as today all the funds for the museum have not been raised. The JSEB also complained that anything would look better than the empty Sears block.

I'm not so sure. For $136,000,000,00, I see an unattractive COMPLEX with a lot of steps to climb if you pay-to- park on the east side of the building.

How about some firm projections of a loss of approximately $2.3 million per year that I project to grow every year for the next 50 years.

Well, it's been built and the backtracking continues such as Mr. Richerson's statements on TV Tuesday. Everything from NO IMAX theatre to a reduction in space from 110,000 sq. ft. to 81-83,000 sq. ft. to $99,000,000.00 for the museum from $60,000,000, about three years ago..
Read my older blogs and you will find that all but one of the "benchmark" museums showed a DECLINE in attendance after the first year, etc.......

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