FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, September 18. THE International Swimming Hall of Fame may finally get its long-overdue facelift. With added measures to eliminate cost overruns, the new Hall of Fame may be unveiled in January of 2015, as reported by the Orlando Sentinel. <\/p>\n
Hall of Fame director Bruce Wigo supports the project, mainly because discussed developments will improve the building's ability to house a variety of events. After a 2004 city name change to the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex, questions were raised regarding how much value was actually placed on the center. <\/p>\n
“It's not just the concern with the name, but also about our role and interactions with the aquatic program and the pools,” Wigo told the Sun Sentinel. “The world knows this as a swimming hall of fame, not a Fort Lauderdale municipal pool.”<\/p>\n
The design contract with Recreational Design and Construction was originally proposed at $46.6 million last year, but was scaled back to $32.4 million after officials said the initial cost was too high. <\/p>\n
A renovated Olympic-sized pool, re-vamped Hall of Fame museum and new pool and diving well on top of the parking garage are included in the project. <\/p>\n
If approved, the design work will take a year and be completed in January 2015. This coincides with renegotiating the Hall of Fame lease, which also expires in 2015. The Hall of Fame complex opened in 1965, with recent yearly operating costs at about $1 million. <\/p>\n
Commissioner Charlotte Rodstrom, who represents the beach area, feels that the agreement is long overdue. Plans for redevelopment have been discussed for over a decade. <\/p>\n
“How wonderful that we're actually seeing it,” Rodstrom said.<\/p>\n