Comments (24) | Add a comment
Jane Ann Morrison
Nice Mob Museum you got there; it'd be a shame if it's not a hit
Tools
More Columns
More Blogs
Clark County firefighters who raise money for charity must now do it on their own time
Applause for Beers at GOP dinner thundering
National spotlight on Mob Museum highlights 'Sin City'
Morse Arberry Jr. reaches plea deal; charges to be knocked down to misdemeanor
Commissioner needs to choose his battles wisely
Once the hoopla dies down about Tuesday's opening of the Mob Museum downtown, it will take time to answer the question: If we build it, will they come?
Will the much-vaunted Mob Museum draw tourists and locals?
Estimates of visitors dropped from an initial optimistic estimate of 800,000 visitors annually to a current estimate of 300,000 visitors annually.
Perhaps the backers of the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement (the politically correct name destined for non-use) learned from the Springs Preserve, the $250 million project built and operated by the Southern Nevada Water Authority.
The preserve now draws only about one-third of the 600,000 people predicted in 2007. The tourists who were supposed to find it a top-notch attraction just never turned out in droves.
Since the idea of a Mob Museum was first mentioned publicly by former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman in March 2002, it's been controversial. When Goodman first floated the idea, it was bashed so much, he joked he had proposed a "mop museum."
But he was the primary instigator and pulled a lot of people on board what hopefully will not turn into a sinking ship.
Many object to the idea of glamorizing the mob, but they haven't seen it yet to judge for themselves; they're assuming.
Many don't like that the bulk of the $42 million cost is borne by taxpayers. The money comes in many ways: general funds, bonds, state and federal grants and the largest sum, the $11.5 million in city Redevelopment Agency funds. Almost all the money is from tax dollars in one form or another.
Once it opens Tuesday, the city of Las Vegas turns the operation over to a nonprofit called The 300 Stewart Avenue Corporation, which holds the responsibility to operate the museum.
The nonprofit headed by Ellen Knowlton, former head of the FBI in Las Vegas, has about $600,000 to start paying for operations -- about $400,000 of the grant money in reserve and another $200,000 in construction savings, according to city spokesman Jace Radke.
To cover operating costs estimated at $5 million a year, museum officials will rely on admission fees, souvenir sales, facility rentals, memberships and grants. They also plan to raise money through sponsorships, donations and grants to pay for capital improvements, educational initiatives and building up the operating reserve.
Admission fees are $10 plus tax for all Nevadans and staggered rates that go up to $18 plus tax for non-Nevadans.
Since 2002, there have been numerical changes. At one time, the cost was $30 million. Now it's $42 million. The museum will employ 100 people, double the initial estimates.
A media tour today and the public opening on Valentine's Day (St. Valentine's Day Massacre, get it?) will provide answers about the quality and honesty of the Mob Museum.
I became optimistic about the quality when creative director Dennis Barrie came on board, since I'd heard only good about the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, both projects where Barrie played prominent creative roles. Until I see it, I'll reserve my opinion about the honesty aspect.
One of the most thoughtful critiques about the concept came from the highly quotable late history professor Hal Rothman in 2007. "Nevada's peculiarity is not that we have vice; it's that we've made a virtue out of vice. And nothing would crown that more than having a Mob Museum. This is entirely consistent with what we do here, with the way we package the past and we make caricatures of things."
To critics, Goodman has responded curtly: "Don't come."
The Mob Museum has the potential to enhance Goodman's reputation as a visionary for downtown redevelopment. But the potential also exists that in a year we'll be complaining about a visitor shortage and blaming Goodman for building a boondoggle.
Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. Email her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call her at (702) 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/Morrison.
Trending topics:
Comments
Terms & Conditions
The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsiblity of the authors. The Review-Journal does not review comments before publication nor guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by the comment policy. If you see a comment that violates the policy, please use the Report Abuse button.
Some comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 24 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
Michael Green: It is not a good idea to sign real name. In some board, I was a young white man middle age white man, elder white man, sometimes young Japanese girl, young white girl, confused trans-sexual he-girl, one of majority of colored man who believe I am entitled to be a racist, etc, etc. Even I sign my name, many people will not believe it is a real name. One person decided I don't know anything about computer. So, how do you know signing real name is believable? Just my thiught. By the way, you write very well.
Michael Green: I watched news this afternoon. So many people waiting. The anchorman said at least 500. More people were coming. Suppose only 500 people could enter and nobody is admitted, 365 day x 500 people =182,500 in a year. Suppose only local visited there. $1,825,000. Then I read publications from Japan. Japanese magazines wrote, In Las Vegas, gambling is legal. People do not hide to gamble at yakuzas' gambling houses in shrines or temples. Openly play poker. you can go to Mob Museum to see colorful Las Vegas History. We don't have yakuza museum. Mob museum will satisfy your desire. USA is huge stay with group. Don't get lost. You can spend your savings in Las Vegas. Demand to have vacation. Take Korean Airline. Las Vegas has own airport. Now, you don't have to go to see Mitsubishi's Rockfeller Center. All of the magazines had similar writings. It had more to explain about Las Vegas but we know Las Vegas. So I skip Las Vegas. Japan has shortage in workable males. They use Robot type gadget in factories. They even employ female now. They don't know what is unemployment means. Time changed. They tend to save money in banks. A majority of them save, save, and save. So, foreign tours are organized. They don't use tour business. Japanese are greedy. They rather group together than using tour companies. If Japanese are interested, Korea, East Coast China, etc will come to MM. don;t worry parking space to them. They will walk. They will not bring cars here. So, MM people should be ready to have tourists.
Prof. Michael Green get down off your junior college high horse and resign your position from the mob museum board before your alleged expertise and endorsement of this silly museum collapses around you.
As this museum fails, do not re-elect any current Las Vegas city council members, and make sure that they remove the City Manager, Deputy City Manager in charge of this and all the other wasteful downtown projects, and the the business development Director. If you think this museum is bad, next week, the new Las Vegas city hall opens which will cost taxpayers $17,000,000 per year to lease. Also, the Smith Center opens in March. It would never have often started if the Las Vegas Redeveloment Agency did not give them $58,000,000 to jump start their lackluster their fundraising. The redevelopment agency should be bankrupt soon with these projects and declining property values. The thugs work inside city hall!!!
Micheal Green, I don't sign my "real" name online for the same reason I don't give out my SSN. It's a dumb idea. I don't feel the need to list my phone number either. Oh well.
As for stupidity, I see your arguments and I have no problem allowing others to judge what is actually stupid.
I had given you some credit on occasion, but we all make mistakes. I sort of think you're an a*s now as well as a prima donna. Is that scurrilous and personal? Too bad.
Enjoy your museum. It's got yours and Oscar Goodman's name all over it.
I think you'll get the credit you deserve.
All of the articles and web-sites mention the ticket prices, PLUS TAX, but I have yet to find one that tells us how much the tax (extra) will be. How much is the tax, and is it designated to go anywhere but the city, county, or state general fund?
Why is it everyone who says it is not a tribute is calling it the Mob Museum and not by its real name, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement?
Why after the money was funded and the project was underway, the visitor estimates magically dropped from 800,000 to 300,000?
Would any of the board members pledge $.25 for every visitor under 300,000 a year after two years against getting $.25 for every visitor over 300,000?
No, I didn't think so.
I hope I am wrong and it is a huge success, but using public money for such a gamble was not right whether it succeeds or not.
I do believe any internet security expert will tell every person using your real name on these types of boards is hardly a good idea. While this issue would most likely not provoke violence, other issues people disagree on certainly could. I personally know this after writing several letters to the editors concerning illegal immigration and receiving threatening calls. What’s unbelievable funny is several of the callers were so ignorant they didn’t understand caller ID and when I spoke to them by name startled them; but it’s the things they said to my wife when I wasn’t home I found concerning. So I would advise anyone to never ever use their real names despite the ignorant childish truth or dare challenges by others. But if anyone wishes to know my real name I will meet them in a dark alley late at night and I'll be happy to identify myself. This museum won’t be an issue in three years, unless they are granted more taxpayer funds when and if the museum fails.
Craig, may I ask if that is your real name? I ask because I have been involved with this museum from the early planning stages, so I thought I knew all of the board members and people who worked on the exhibits, but I don't know your name. Now, if that IS your real name, you weren't involved in it and haven't been to the museum, unless you went for a preview. I've been to a preview and saw a lot of stuff about criminals getting killed and hurting the innocent and stealing, and nothing that I would call a "tribute." So, would you mind telling me if this is an assumed name and you were involved, or if you just don't really know what's in the museum and decided to tell us what is in it anyway?
As for Alvinjh, how unfortunate that some people don't have the guts to sign their names to scurrilous personal attacks. Of course, instead of cowardice, maybe it's just stupidity.
Can't wait to go, but I think it sucks that the non-Nevadans have to pay 8.00 more to get in that is utterly ridiculous