Governor Quinn To Announce $6 Million Capital Grant for Museum of Broadcast Communications

CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn will announce a $6 million capital grant to the Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) to assist with the completion of its new facility at 360 North State Street in Chicago at a MBC event this evening. As one of only three museums dedicated to broadcast history in the nation, completion of this project will help further enhance Illinois’ successful tourism industry. MBC anticipates this project will create approximately 200 jobs.

“The tourism industry employs more than 300,000 people and contributes approximately $30 billion to the Illinois economy each year,” said Governor Quinn. “Our investments in key cultural attractions like the state-of-the-art Museum of Broadcast Communications help ensure this industry can continue to create jobs and serve as a dynamic growth engine for our state.”

The 62,000-square-foot facility will be located at State and Kinzie Streets, right next door to Harry Caray‘s Restaurant and the House of Blues Hotel. The museum will be a model of energy-efficiency and will provide five times as much space as its former location in the Chicago Cultural Center, which closed in December 2003. The facility will allow the MBC to serve a wide range of audiences, expand its collections, and increase exhibit and programming space.

“The Museum of Broadcast Communications is grateful that Governor Pat Quinn and the Illinois General Assembly have recognized and honored the significant role Chicago has played in American radio and television history with this grant. We will commence construction on our new home at State and Kinzie this coming Monday, creating over 200 jobs for the next year,” said Bruce Dumont, President & CEO of MBC.

Tourism continues to be a key driver of the Illinois economy. According to the U.S. Travel Association, in 2008, the last year available, the economic impact of tourism increased by more than $883 million to a record setting $30.8 billion. Illinois hosted nearly 88 million domestic visitors and over 1.4 million overseas visitors. In addition, the travel industry generated 303,500 jobs for Illinois in 2008.

The project is funded through Illinois Jobs Now!, a $31 billion capital plan that will revive the state’s ailing economy by creating and retaining over 439,000 jobs over the next six years.

MBC is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to collect, preserve and present historic and contemporary radio and television content. It is one of only three museums dedicated to broadcast history in the nation, and is home to America's only National Radio Hall of Fame.