DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — On Wednesday, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey visited Decatur to welcome in the massive expansion of the Cook Museum of Natural Science.
The governor and the state are giving the Cook Museum a $9.5 million grant that will go towards STEM programs in the expansion.
In May, the Alabama State Legislature tabbed the Cook Museum as a designated STEM center.
“Even back then, it was clear that the museum was doing something more than just showcase the wonders of nature,” Ivey said.
But the museum directors saw a bigger picture. They saw an expansion that would include a prominent national brand 130-room hotel and a parking deck.
Scott Mayo, the museum executive director, told News 19 that in addition to the state grant, the museum will put in $20 million in private funds and $23 million from the hotel developer.
“Giving that state’s support the county jumped in and the city jumped in and we’re just excited about our next chapter,” Mayo said. “Hopefully, about $20 million of private donations that is going to be for the build out of the labs and the classrooms and the museum itself.”
On Monday, the Decatur City Council voted 4 to 1 to approve a plan for the expansion. The city and the museum share the parking space.
The city council, however, did not put a price on the new parking deck because there are no designs or a contract for it yet, but Mayo did estimate that it would cost the city between $14 to $17 million.
Council member Billy Jackson voted against the proposed expansion, saying the agreement without an exact dollar figure attached would be bad for the city.
“What’s it going to cost us for a parking deck? In my mind, we are effectively writing a blank check,” said Jackson.
Decatur citizen Mike Stovall voiced his concern about the lack of public input on the project.
“I think we have a lot more important things that we might need to take care of than just pushing this down the citizens’ throat,” Stovall explained. “I think they should have had a public meeting. We can’t continue down this road, or we’re not going to have money as a city.”
Several city council members and the Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce said supporting the museum’s expansion goes hand in hand with the current growth of Decatur.
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