[BCMA] CMA Clip Serv: Interest high in old Victoria wax museum site

[Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.]

Bob Wright wants to have a "high tech" version down the street of what the RBCM is so famous for - its BC History and First Nation displays?

The RBCM has a couple of choices here:
  1.. Lay back and let a competitor horn-in and steal away half its visitors with a show that's bound in the end to be as corny and ultimately insolvent as Storyeum, recently located in Vancouver in the old Woodward's building parking garage, and dedicated to "re-enacting" BC history for tourist audiences in show-biz style..
  2.. Get behind the MMBC's bid in a collaborative venture wherein the theme structures of each museum compliments the other, and they double-up sharing the same visitor streams.
Dan Gallacher


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. 
  To: bcma at lists.vvv.com 
  Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2011 9:37 AM
  Subject: [BCMA] CMA Clip Serv: Interest high in old Victoria wax museum site


  Interest high in old site of Victoria wax museum 
  Bidders have six weeks to make play for CPR Steamship Terminal 
  Carla Wilson, Victoria Times Colonist, Thursday, February 3, 2011 


  So far "half a dozen real contenders" are vying for the chance to lease the historic CPR Steamship Terminal on the Inner Harbour, says the chief executive of the Provincial Capital Commission. 


  Ray Parks said he doesn't know the identity of all of the bids to lease the 470 Belleville St. property, which was built in 1924 and home to the wax museum for 40 years until last fall. 


  Consultant Ernst and Young LLP is handling the bids. Parks said some of the bidders are discreet, using agents to represent their proposals. 


  But two parties have gone public with their desire to be the main tenant. 


  Jamie Webb, president of the Maritime Museum of British Columbia Foundation, is advocating for that facility to move into the CPR building from its current cramped quarters in Bastion Square. 


  Oak Bay entrepreneur Bob Wright, head of the Oak Bay Marine Group, is also interested in staging a high-tech attraction showcasing First Nations, Victoria and B.C. history. 


  The building has 1,951 square metres (21,000 square feet) of rentable space. It was designed by architects P.L. James and Francis Rattenbury. 


  "This is a fabulous building and it's got a fabulous address," Parks said. 


  The closing date for bids has been extended to March 15 from the original date of Feb. 18. A request for bids was first published on Dec. 3. 


  Seismic and other improvements worth $3 million are underway at the landmark building. 


  Upgrading is being financed with $3 million from the provincial and federal governments under the infrastructure stimulus plan. When the original closing date was set, the PCC was aiming at meeting the federal government's March 31 deadline, which has since been relaxed to June 30. 


  The extension has given the PCC the opportunity to do required additional improvements on the building, Parks said. 


  TIMETABLE 
  The Provincial Capital Commission's latest timetable on the CPR Steamship Building bid process, subject to change: 
  Feb 15 to 17: meet with proponents. 
  March 8 to 10: public open house. 
  March 15: closing date for bids. 
  March 21 to 25: proposal evaluation. 
  March 28 to 30: proponent presentation and interviews. 
  March 31: recommendation by the evaluation panel. 
  By April 7: PCC board to vote on recommendation and choose an applicant. 
  By April 8: notify applicants. 


  ---   30   --- 


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