Larry Bird Museum could be completed in December

May 17—With a heavy emphasis on "tentative," completion of the Larry Bird Museum is slated for Dec. 21.

Brian Bosma, attorney for the Vigo County Capital Improvement Board, told the board Wednesday to expect delays, especially in audio and media rights, such as from the NBA or other NBA stars, for final audio/visual work for the museum, to be located at the Terre Haute Convention Center.

"The completion date is to be determined by the work that is dependent on media rights," Bosma said. The completion date is scheduled, "but expect delays."

After the CIB meeting, Terre Haute businessman Greg Gibson, a longtime friend of Larry Bird's, said Bird does plan to attend the grand opening after a solid date is set.

Gibson also said the Wooden Award presented to Bird in 1979 as the nation's top collegiate basketball player, will be coming to the museum.

Ravenswood Studio Inc. of Lincolnwood, Illinois, is the contractor for the museum. Boston Productions of Franklin, Massachusetts, is the contractor for audio visual and media production, with Bowen Technovation LLC of Indianapolis as a subcontactor for integration of audiovisuals.

In February, the CIB approved a resolution that allows the CIB's museum committee to negotiate a final cost within the board's construction budget of $900,000.

The final contract amount with Ravenswood Studio is $865,000, Bosma told the board.

Boston Production's base bid was $245,700. The CIB in April authorized the board's president and vice president to negotiate a final professional services agreement with that company. That final cost for that contract is $254,608, which includes expenses for change orders, Bosma said.

Bosma told the board there is a three-phase approach for Boston Productions, with the first phase costing $22,808 for development of audio visual elements and media rights research and sourcing.

Phase II is estimated at $95,600 which includes acquisition of media rights and producing media displays, which could have cost increases.

Phase III is estimated at $136,200, for media/visual approval and installation of fully integrated and functional displays in the museum.

The total cost of both contracts is $1,120,315.

"There are going to be change orders in these two contracts," Bosma said, as the board does not know final costs for media and visual rights.

Board member Emily Crapo questioned how long the media/visual rights are valid. Bosma said it is typically for five years, then renewed. Those are the costs that will be presented to the board once all visual and media designs are finalized, Bosma said.

In a 7-0 vote, the board authorized that any non-financial changes be approved by the CIB's museum committee.

If financial changes are required, the CIB's finance committee will make a recommendation to the board's president, who is then authorized to approve changes up to 20% of each contract.

If changes are over 20%, the full CIB would then vote.

In other business, the board instructed Tennille Wanner, who serves as OVG 360's general manager of the convention center, to seek bids on improvement issues for the convention center.

Those included a power upgrade for the center's main ballroom, increased security cameras and replacing mulch with rock in the building's landscaping. The three items could cost about $114,000.

In another issue, Jason Semler of the Baker Tilly accounting firm, said the county's food and beverage tax has collected $1,357,000 in the first five months of this year, compared to $1,188,000 for the same time frame last year, which is "a little over a 14% increase from last year in first five months," he said.

The tax generated $280,716 so far in May, the third month this year the tax has generated more than $280,000, Semler said.

"In 2021 and 2022, there was only one month each that you collected over $280,000," he said. "So the food and beverage (tax) is still coming in strong."

Howard Greninger can be reached at 812-231-4204 or howard.greninger@tribstar.com. Follow on Twitter @TribStarHoward.