International Swimming Hall Of Fame Leaving Fort Lauderdale
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - After nearly 50 years in Fort Lauderdale, the International Swimming Hall of Fame is moving.
Bruce Wigo, the Hall of Fame's President and CEO, says the decision was made after years of problems with city leaders and a differing vision of what the Hall of Fame could be. Wigo said the Hall of Fame hoped that the city's plan for a new $32 million dollar aquatic center on Fort Lauderdale Beach would enable the Hall of Fame to transform itself. Instead, he says their vision was not realized.
"Our vision is to create a real entertainment attraction that will appeal to everyone not just be limited to those in competitive swimming and I think that's where we have the real disconnect," Wigo told CBS 4's Carey Codd.
From honoring America's greatest swimmers like Michael Phelps, Jenny Thompson and Mark Spitz to laying out a legacy of centuries of swimming history, the International Hall of Fame has been a fixture on Fort Lauderdale beach since 1965. For Wigo, it's a personal loss because he said he's been coming to Fort Lauderdale Beach with his family since the 1950's.
"It's a very emotional decision but it's a business decision and for the Swimming Hall of Fame it's the right decision," he said.
Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler said the city is "disappointed" that the Hall of Fame is leaving.
"They've been very good to the city and the city's been very good to them," Seiler said.
But Seiler said the Hall of Fame was asking for too much--like free utilities and maintenance along with an annual fifty thousand dollar stipend and rent-free space. Seiler said the city does not want to subsidize the Hall of Fame.
However, Wigo disagrees with the city's information.
"The incentives that we were asking for is nothing more than what we had," Wigo said.
Wigo admits the request for a $50-thousand dollar stipend is new and was meant to cover the income from a private room that the Hall of Fame rents out for events and earns a portion of their income from. Wigo says the new development would eliminate this space.
Wigo admits that attendance has been diminishing over the years and a move might be a way for the Hall of Fame to recreate itself. He's disappointed that it won't be in Fort Lauderdale.
"We thought it belonged here and we thought the redevelopment was a great opportunity to do it," he said. "It's the wrong project for us."
In a statement, the Hall of Fame thanked the citizens of Fort Lauderdale for decades of patronage.
"ISHOF's Board of Directors wish to express their thanks and sincere gratitude and appreciation to the citizens of the City of Fort Lauderdale for all the support they have given to our organization for the past fifty years."
The statement also referenced the Hall of Fame's desire to become a more modern museum.
"It will allow us to re-invent ourselves as a modern museum in a way that will rely upon the knowledge and expertise of our membership to create an exciting and interesting attraction that will appeal and be of interest to not only to millions of casual, recreational and competitive swimmers of the world, but to the multitudes of non-swimmers who we believe should be learning to swim for water safety, drowning prevention, better health and a better quality of life."
Th International Swimming Hall of Fame has been in discussions with the city of Santa Clara in California about relocating however a final agreement has not been reached. The Hall of Fame expects to be open in Fort Lauderdale until next October.
