Though short on funds, Leonardo is still on schedule

The Leonardo culture, arts and science center at the old city library is $1.6 million short of its $10 million private-sector fund-raising goal, but center officials say the facility could be open in the spring of 2008.

Project director Mary Tull told the Utah Technology Commission on Thursday that an architect and design firm has been hired to do preliminary work on retrofitting the facility for the center, which will house the Utah Science Center, the Center for Documentary Arts and Global Artways.

In November 2003, Salt Lake City residents approved a $10 million bond for the Leonardo, and facility supporters have been working since then to raise matching funds to access the bond and begin renovations. The retrofit and renovations could begin early next year and take two years to finish, Tull said.

The Leonardo will seek $2 million in a one-time appropriation from the Legislature during its upcoming general session.

Several commissioners lauded the Leonardo concept, especially its potential to spark interest in science among Utah youths.

"I look at this as just an amazing asset, especially if you look at our math and science initiative that we have," said John Douglas, American Fork. "By the time they hit college, it's a little late. We want to make sure they're engaged early on."

"We just appreciate your effort and what's happening and the influence these will have on these young kids," said the commission's co-chairman, Sen. Beverly Evans, R-Altamont. "That's when they start making a lot of choices, when they're young."

Leonardo officials aren't waiting for a permanent site to be operational. A "Leonardo On Wheels" program brings hands-on, science-based exhibits to locations throughout Utah.

Ned Weinshenker, director of the life-sciences cluster for the Governor's Office of Economic Development and a Leonardo volunteer, said the facility will be important also for its economic-development influence.

"Being able to recruit good engineers and scientists to Utah — which we have to do, because we're not growing enough of them here yet, but bringing them in and bringing in management to this state — it's important to have an institution of this type, not only for those people but for their children as they bring them in," he told the commission.

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