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* The Illinois Office of Tourism has a couple of new promotional videos…
Michael Higgins, owner of Maldaner’s Restaurant in downtown Springfield, wondered why the Illinois State Museum was being showcased with its future hanging in the balance. The museum’s fate, at least for the near term, became clearer as Friday wore on. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources announced late in the afternoon that the state museum system and the World Shooting and Recreational Complex near Sparta will close Wednesday.
The facilities will stay closed to the public until a court case over layoffs of state workers is decided.
The facilities were targeted earlier this summer for closure at the end of this month, casualties of the ongoing budget fight. Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration earlier this week postponed previously planned layoffs of more than 100 unionized workers, including museum employees, due to an agreement between the state and the unions. The employees will return to work despite the closures.
Gemberling said the bureau’s video project that included museum footage began “several months ago.”
“We do have a contingency plan in place to replace some of that footage depending on what happens with the Illinois State Museum,” she said earlier Friday.
Video production takes a while, so I can see why it’s still in there.
But, here’s something to ponder: If the museum is so good that it’s in a state tourism promotional video, why is it being shut down even though the employees are still working?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 11:17 am
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These folks are so incompetent they don’t even realize they should be embarrassed.
Comment by Daniel Plainview Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 11:24 am
A: Because Bruce and the people who financially support him are mean. How else can you answer that?
Comment by Austin Blvd Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 11:30 am
The Springfield Journal Register has a nice editorial about the closure today.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 11:36 am
Why the media keeps up the fiction that the State Museum has been targeted for closure only because of budget baffles me. Rauner wanted the museum closed when he first took office in January. Maybe some astute reporter could find out why that was.
Comment by My New Handle Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 11:55 am
Because I’m too busy governin’ and posturin’ and winnin’ to take the time to make sure promotional videos mesh with reality . . . and how would that help big business and one percenters anyway?
Comment by illinoised Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:06 pm
Video production may take some time, but editing really doesn’t.
They’ve been on the chopping block for months.
I think this is clearly a case of IBOT not paying attention to what’s going on, and whatever superstar responsible for them not paying attention to what they’re doing.
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:07 pm
I think you’re missing out on the bigger picture. Tourism GENERATES $$. You would think Governor Billionaire would understand that concept.
Comment by FIREDup! Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:19 pm
Yeah, if you don’t save money on salaries or utilities and other operating costs, but you lose the revenue that would have been generated if the front door was unlocked, it looks like it costs a ton of money to “close” the facilities.
Comment by SAP Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:23 pm
Superstar Rosenthal was tryin’ to dump the museum on ALPLM right out of the box
Comment by Anonin' Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:25 pm
Only in Illinois would we spend money to both staff and advertise a place that isn’t open.
Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:29 pm
Change the video and replace it with a story about the new tour of the Grinch’s house (known to most of us as the Governor’s mansion). There’s going to be a lot of people having a lousy Christmas because of that man.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:31 pm
Nobody is doing their job in Springfield. The unfunded who were not able to get funding via court mandates are withering and looking at extinction without state funding. Organizations that do great work, that have many funding sources but still require state assistance -much of it from dedicated taxes imposed on their industry will simply disappear, thousands of layoffs, decades of work GONE because the governor and legislators refuse to do their jobs. Embarrassing and more a reason to move out of state then any company using right to work excuses to move jobs (super low paying) out of state. What an irony, Rauner fighting to “turnaround” and “save” Illinois but really giving us all the reason to leave.
Comment by Illinoisinruins Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:32 pm
I wish the people in the know about all this would start dishing it out. There has been a gag order placed on the Museum staff by the DNR. The story needs to be told. Even if the Museum survives in whatever form, it is going to be a seriously diminished institution with all the forced retirements, etc.
Comment by vole Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:38 pm
I believe you said it best yesterday, Rich: “This is Illinois.”
Comment by Tournaround Agenda Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 12:59 pm
Have a little bit of sympathy for the video crew and editors who usually work well in advance to an annual plan. It’s tough to plan ahead here. This will surely prompt a re-cut of even more videos.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 1:37 pm
Rauner can close the museum tomorrow, but he cannot close the museum permanently. When the museum reopens, it should have an exhibit about how, why and who is responsible for the worst event in its history.
Big banners, lots of advertising, lots of press coverage.
“The Day The Museum Was Killed By Governor Rauner”
Have the entire ILDEM show up for its reopening.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 1:56 pm
Word … actually video editing does take a long time!
Comment by Filmmaker Professor Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 5:17 pm
FM, no, it doesn’t,.
Have you ever cut a spot?
On video, not film?
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 7:19 pm
Why is it being shut down?
Um, because the the Governor is unhappy with Sangamon County GOP legislators. This is their punishment.
Rauner will “save” the museum once local powers have suffIciently prostrated themselves.
Comment by Juvenal Tuesday, Sep 29, 15 @ 8:27 pm