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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6/29/2005 - STAFF REPORTS (13) 4 rA e City Council Staff Report DATE: June 29, 2005 CONSENT SUBJECT: RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT FOR AGUA CALIENTE CULTURAL MUSEUM AND CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager SUMMARY The City Council will consider adopting a resolution supporting the establishment of the new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in the City of Palm Springs and the Museum's capital campaign to raise funds for construction of the new Museum. RECOMMENDATION: Adopt Resolution No. "A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW AGUA CALIENTE CULTURAL MUSEUM IN THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS AND THE MUSEUM'S CAMPAIGN TO PRESERVE THE NATIVE SPIRIT OF THE DESERT IN RAISING THE $40 MILLION NEEDED TO BUILD THE NEW MUSEUM." STAFF ANALYSIS: The Board of Directors of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution which inspires people to learn about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and other Native cultures, has announced the selection of an 8.65-acre site at the southeast corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Hermosa Drive as the future home of the expanded Agua Caliente Cultural Museum currently located in downtown Palm Springs. The proposed 88,000 square foot facility will be a solar powered/energy efficient building and, as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, feature permanent and changing exhibitions, a research library, educational center, a 150-seat theatre, and an outdoor learning garden. The new Museum will address the need for an expanded, start-of-the-art facility to share thousands of years of history and culture of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians with the Palm Springs community and its many visitors from around the world, thereby enriching the lives of this expanded community. The new Museum will bring an additional cultural dimension to the heart of the City of Palm Springs and serve as a Item No. 2 . E. City Council Staff Report June 29, 2005 -- Page 2 Support for Ague Caliente Cultural Museum catalyst for the continued growth and revitalization of downtown Palm Springs. The Museum's Campaign to Preserve the Native Spirit of the Desert is designed to raise the $40 million needed to build the new Museum with completion of the new building projected for late 2008. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has contributed $5 million outright to the Campaign and offered a challenge pledge of an additional $15 million dollars matching dollar for dollar all contributions up to $15 million. The Executive Director of the Museum, Dr. Michael Hammond, has requested letters from various interested parties, including the City of Palm Springs, to be used as evidence of local support for the project during the Museum's capital campaign to bring this project to fruition. If adopted, the proposed City Council Resolution will be forwarded to the Museum as an attachment to a letter of support prepared by the City Manager. FISCAL IMPACT: No fiscal impact. David H. Ready, City vglanage Attachments: Proposed Resolution City Manager's Letter of Support RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEW AGUA CALIENTE CULTURAL MUSEUM IN THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS AND THE MUSEUM'S CAMPAIGN TO PRESERVE THE NATIVE SPIRIT OF THE DESERT IN RAISING THE $40 MILLION NEEDED TO BUILD THE NEW MUSEUM WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution which inspires people to learn about the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and other Native cultures, has announced the selection of an 8.65-acre site at the southeast corner of Tahquitz Canyon Way and Hermosa Drive as the future home of the expanded Agua Caliente Cultural Museum currently located in downtown Palm Springs; and WHEREAS, the proposed 88,000 square foot facility will be a solar powered/energy efficient building and, as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, feature permanent and changing exhibitions, a research library, educational center, a 150-seat theatre, and an outdoor learning garden; and WHEREAS, the new Museum will address the need for an expanded, start-of- the-art facility to share thousands of years of history and culture of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians with the Palm Springs community and its many visitors from around the world, thereby enriching the lives of this expanded community; and WHEREAS, the new Museum will bring an additional cultural dimension to the heart of the City of Palm Springs and serve as a catalyst for the continued growth and revitalization of downtown Palm Springs; and WHEREAS, the Museum's Campaign to Preserve the Native Spirit of the Desert is designed to raise the $40 million needed to build the new Museum with completion of the new building projected for late 2008; and WHEREAS, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has contributed $5 million outright to the Campaign and offered a challenge pledge of an additional $15 million dollars matching dollar for dollar all contributions up to $15 million. THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALM SPRINGS DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The new Agua Caliente Cultural Museum will provide a multitude of far-reaching educational and economic benefits to the City of Palm Springs, its residents and visitors from around the world. Resolution No. Page 2 SECTION 2. All Palm Springs residents, visitors, civic groups and community organizations as well as interested citizens and cultural and philanthropic organizations on a regional, state and national basis are encouraged to join with the City Council of Palm Springs and Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in supporting the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum's Campaign to Preserve the Native Spirit of the Desert in raising the $40 million needed to build the new Museum. ADOPTED THIS 29th day of June, 2005. Ron Oden, Mayor ATTEST: James Thompson, City Clerk CERTIFICATION STATE OF CALIFORNIA ) COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE ) ss. CITY OF PALM SPRINGS ) I, JAMES THOMPSON, City Clerk of the City of Palm Springs, hereby certify that Resolution No. is a full, true and correct copy, and was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Palm Springs on by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: James Thompson, City Clerk City of Palm Springs, California June_, 2005 Michael Hammond, Ph.D. Executive Director Aqua Caliente Cultural Museum 471 East Tahquitz Canyon Way Palm Springs, CA 92262 Re: New Agua Caliente Cultural Museum Dear Dr. Hammond: This letter is to communicate the City's support for your organization's efforts to build a new 88,000 square foot museum facility on Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs as the future home of the expanded Agua Caliente Cultural Museum. We understand that the space constraints of the current facility located in our downtown severely limit the opportunities to share the rich heritage of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians with our City's residents and the many thousands of annual visitors to Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley. This new facility, as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, will not only address the need for an expanded, start-of-the-art facility to revive, preserve and share thousands of years of history and culture of the Agua Caliente,itwill also provide an exciting new cultural dimension to the Coachella Valley and Southern California while serving as a catalyst for the continued growth and revitalization of downtown Palm Springs. It is especially noteworthy that the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians has generously contributed $5 million to help initiate the fund-raising campaign for this magnificent new addition to our City. We are convinced that their challenge pledge of an additional $15 million will be wholeheartedly supported bythe many residents,visitors, civic groups,and community,cultural and philanthropic organizations, both locally and nationally, who share our appreciation for the many positive contributions of the Agua Calientes and other Native Americans to our regional and national culture. As additional evidence of the widespread and well-deserved community support that this project enjoys, attached to this letter is the resolution in support of the project as adopted by our City Council on June 29, 2005. Sincerely, David H. Ready City Manager