By Jim Haley
Herald Writer
Seattle’s Museum of Flight has proposed what it calls a national flight interpretive center at Paine Field, and the organization is seeking a big chunk of available public funds to help build it.
The $23 million facility would include an aircraft exhibit space, an extensive education center and an airplane restoration facility, and would run the Boeing Co. plant tours.
Eventually, a large-format theater is possible in a second phase, said Barry Smith, the volunteer managing director.
But the deal is still in the early stages, and Museum of Flight officials will likely have to reduce the amount of public funds they are seeking. On Friday, they asked for about $14 million.
The plan was first aired Friday to the Snohomish County Public Facilities District, which soon will begin struggling with how to spend about $20 million on public projects that promote tourism and economic development.
Museum officials hope to build a facility that will bring people here from all over the world.
The ability to use public funds is the result of a state law approved to help build new stadiums for the Seattle Mariners and Seattle Seahawks. The Snohomish County Council created the special district, an independent taxing body able to lay claim to a portion of sales taxes already paid.
The problem for the museum is seen as a simple exercise in math.
The county PFD will have about $20 million to spend. It has already all but committed to spend $8.3 million on the city of Everett’s new downtown sports facility and parking garage.
On Friday, the PFD board for the first time heard solid numbers ($7 million) from Lynnwood, which hopes to build a convention center. In addition, the PFD board is considering keeping some of its $20 million in reserve. There just isn’t $14 million to go around.
"That’s going to be pretty difficult to do," said Dan Clements, Snohomish County finance director, about the museum request.
Smith told board members it should be able to produce more information, including a business plan by the next board meeting, Oct. 19.
The museum faces a Dec. 1 deadline to get projects approved. Among other things, the state law requires recipients of the money to break ground by Jan. 1, 2003.
Board members seemed to like what they heard from Smith and others connected with the museum. They were just taken aback by the amount requested.
There are only so many dollars to go around, board president Travis Snider said. "Let’s take them and use them to have some significant activities that generate some economic development."
You can call Herald Writer Jim Haley at 425-339-3447
or send e-mail to haley@heraldnet.com.
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