Plans still stand for Railroad Hall of Fame in Galesburg
GALESBURG, Ill. (AP) - Despite a lack of progress over the past decade, organizers of the National Railroad Hall of Fame and museum still plan to bring the facility to northwestern Illinois.
When plans for the 25,000-square-foot facility in Galesburg were announced in 2006, organizers quickly raised about $1.5 million for the project, which is expected to cost $30 million. The original plan was for it to open in 2009, but it no longer has a projected opening date.
Organizers say they're pleased with the way fundraising has gone and they hope to break ground in the next two to four years.
"We're confident that we're going to bring a wonderful facility here to Galesburg," National Railroad Hall of Fame Director Julie King told the Galesburg Register-Mail (http://bit.ly/1mYnULt ).
Organizers say they're working with respected design firms, architects, fundraisers and exhibit consultants to help raise money and finish design work.
The hall of fame will remain in the first of several fundraising stages for the remainder of the year, King said, but she declined to comment on how much the National Capital Campaign has raised since it began two years ago.
The master design plan was completed in March 2014, which preceded the launch of the National Capital Campaign, and the final design phase currently is in progress.
The hall of fame is expected to attract between 100,000 and 125,000 each year, King said.
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Information from: The Register-Mail, http://www.register-mail.com