Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Museums' move may generate $52 million for Tucson

New digs for Arizona State Museum and Ariz. Historical Society's museum are part of Rio Nuevo.

OSCAR ABEYTA

Tucson Citizen

When it comes to the historical parts of Rio Nuevo, if we build it they will come - at least according to a pair of feasibility studies completed recently.

The Arizona State Museum and the Arizona Historical Society's Arizona History Museum are both planning to move to a site west of the Santa Cruz River and would be adjacent to the proposed cultural plaza.

The studies, conducted by ConsultEcon Inc., predict the two museums could draw about 332,000 visitors annually and generate about $52 million in economic activity in the metropolitan area.

"The results of this study show clearly that these two museums can stand alone and thrive," said City Councilwoman Nina Trasoff, who heads the council's Rio Nuevo subcommittee. "We can close the door on planning and say we are now in the predevelopment and design phase."

Another feasibility study completed in December by ConsultEcon estimated the science center would attract about 559,000 people and generate about $362 million in economic activity annually in Tucson.

Trasoff said construction could start within 18 to 24 months.

Vice Mayor Steve Leal said relocating the museums into Rio Nuevo will give them much-needed exposure.

"Where both museums are today, you need a helicopter to get there," he said. "The public doesn't have much of an opportunity to see the collections. And the Historical Society, they only have enough display area for 7 percent of their collection. This way they will be able to have a lot more of their collection on display."

The city has spent three years doing landfill remediation and archaeological work on the site in order to get it ready for development. The cultural plaza and museums will be on the west end of the proposed University of Arizona Science Center "Rainbow Bridge."

Until site planning and design work is complete, the cost of the museums and how much Rio Nuevo will contribute to those costs won't be known, Trasoff said.

The results of the feasibility study could be presented to the council as early as Tuesday's meeting, she said.