Bill Summary for Bill Number Update on Dome Renovations

Date: 01/22/2010

Final
Update on Dome Renovations

CAPITOL BUILDING ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved that the committee authorize Colorado Preser	TIE

01:35 PM -- Update on Fundraising Efforts for Dome Renovations

Mr. James Hare, Executive Director of Colorado Preservation Inc., came to the table to update the committee on efforts to raise money for dome renovations. Mr. Hare reported that his organization has raised $50,000 from a corporate sponsor and would like to hire a professional creative marketing group to handle marketing for the project. He indicated that he interviewed three firms to handle the marketing and that Creative Strategies Group was chosen.

Mr. Hare provided two handouts: a letter to Mr. Bruce Erley of Creative Strategies Group containing information about the dome, the needed funds for its renovation, and the scope of services being sought (Attachment B) and a letter from Mr. Erley outlining Creative Strategies Group's proposal (Attachment C). Mr. Hare said he was seeking a recommendation from the committee about the type of fundraising efforts that could be undertaken.

01:39 PM

Mr. Hare reminded the committee that he came before them in July of 2009 to discuss a fundraising effort to raise money for the needed work on the dome that the state was not in a position to fund. He said the target is to raise $15 million. He explained that a firm was called in from Utah to look at the estimate of dome repairs prepared by the Office of the State Architect, and that firm agreed that the estimate was on target. Mr. Hare explained that the project would use cause marketing -- affiliating with and selling sponsorships to corporations. He explained that a similar fundraising model was used to raise money for the renovation of the Statue of Liberty. Mr. Hare talked about using the scaffolding as a bill board of sorts to display corporate sponsors and a visual of the dome during different times of the day. He said he believes such displays would be viewed in a positive light by the public because it would show that taxpayer dollars were not used to restore the dome.

01:44 PM

Mr. Hare said he would come back to the committee with an initial proposal from Colorado Preservation, Inc. and he asked that the committee give its approval to move forward with the initial stages of the project.

Senator Bacon expressed a discomfort with using corporate logos on the scaffolding around the dome, but said the critical nature of the needed dome repairs makes the idea worth exploring. Senator Bacon said he would support the proposal with the Capital Development Committee, but reminded the committee that many other people would have to be comfortable with the idea. Representative Weissmann said he would need to mull over the idea and expressed discomfort with the idea of billboards. Senator Bacon suggested corporations advertising "proud sponsor of..." and an image of the Capitol dome in other types of advertising. He talked about the importance of making the fundraising effort a statewide effort.

01:48 PM

Mr. Hare said he expects a major grassroots campaign in addition to the corporate sponsorship. Mr. Hare responded to a question from Mr. Weingardt about the target amount of $15 million, saying the full cost and scope of the restoration is not known. Conversation on this topic between Mr. Weingardt and Mr. Hare ensued. Ms. Contiguglia clarified that the $15 million estimate was based on work done by the company on other capitol domes. Ms. Nunnally expressed support for thinking "outside the box" and going forward with the idea if it might bring in the needed funding to make the much-needed repairs to the dome.

Ms. Contiguglia asked for a written proposal from Creative Strategies Group. Mr. Hare explained that he is at the beginning of the process and that going forward there would be a major notebook with proposal information, and he clarified that nothing would be done without the approval of the committee. Representative Weissmann expressed his concerns around displaying corporate logos on the building and suggested another strategy would be better. Ms. Sill suggested displaying logos at ground level rather than at the top of the building. Mr. Hare responded to her comments, talking about different forms the messages could take.

01:56 PM

Senator Bacon said Creative Strategies Group will provide options and strategies from which the committee can choose. Mr. Hare clarified that the billboard idea is under consideration but there are other options. Ms. Nunnally said there needs to be a slogan and logo that could surround the workspace. Mr. Hare said a press release put out over the summer used the slogan "bring it home for the dome." Mr. Hite commented on the tasteful display on the scaffolding around the Washington Monument when it was under restoration. Mr. Weingardt provided background information on that display.

01:59 PM

Mr. Lee said he favors thinking outside the box to raise money for the project. Ms. Eddins expressed concern about people thinking that elected officials and staff in the building were bought by a corporation. Ms. Contiguglia asked that Creative Strategies Group to come back with a concrete proposal with options for the committee to consider. She explained that is important that there is not the appearance that state government has been bought by anyone, that any displays be in good taste, and that displays be captivating to the audience. Mr. Hare said he would bring an outline plan from which decisions can be made about where money should be spent.

02:02 PM

Mr. Hare said the nomination of the dome to the most endangered places list will be announced on Thursday, February 4, at the Saving Places Conference.

Ms. Contiguglia asked for a time frame for the campaign and work on the dome. Mr. Hare said the revenues need to be secured before work starts and he stated he would work with Office of the State Architect on the time line for renovations.


BILL:	Update on Dome Renovations
TIME:	02:04:18 PM
MOVED:	Bacon
MOTION:	Moved that the committee authorize Colorado Preservation Inc. to go forward with its discussions with Creative Strategies Group and come back to the committee with a time line and proposal. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Eddins
	Goldman
	Hite
	Lee
	Nichols	Excused
	Nunnally
	Sill
	Weingardt
	Weissmann
	Bacon
	Contiguglia

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE