Gee, they let all those expensive plants die but it cost too much to move the ststues?
The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame's most famous residents won't be emerging from hibernation anytime soon -- even during Masters Week.
The popular bronze statues of golf greats Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and Ray Floyd -- evacuated to a storage building in September -- will remain hidden until Hall of Fame officials and the Legislature can map out the organization's future.
"These are expensive bronze sculptures and they can't be moved easily," said Robyn Jarrett, the Hall of Fame's marketing director. "The reason they won't be brought out just for Masters is that the expense is great to install them."
The Hall of Fame's golf gardens, which housed the statues, closed June 30 after funding ran out for the organization.
"They are wonderful statues and we certainly want everyone to enjoy them once we get a more long-term solution," Ms. Jarrett said.
The General Assembly is considering a House bill that would provide $100,000 for the Hall of Fame, which has been in Augusta since its inception. The bill also stipulates that the group remain based in Augusta.
In the interim, Augusta is exploring opportunities to create a baseball stadium on the former Hall of Fame property, but it hopes to incorporate the gardens area into such a plan. Currently, the gardens area is operated by the city as a free park.
Reach Rob Pavey at 868-1222, ext. 119, or rob.pavey@augustachronicle.com.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame hopes to devise a long-range operating plan after it learns what sort of funding it will have in coming years.
Comments
Gee, they let all those expensive plants die but it cost too much to move the ststues?
biggest waste of tax payers money
biggest waste of tax payers money
That $100,000 will probably be spent on salaries and miscellaneous expenses and nothing else you would notice.
Let those immortalized in bronze pay for them; moving, upkeep, repair, etc. I'm sure a multi-millionaire golfer could rip off a few geenbacks, maybe even sell a Rolex or two for many years of "statue-sitting." If they can't, oh, well, let 'em collect dust, or melt them down, and make some nice planters out of them for all those botaniclas that wasted away! Can we write-off these frivolous expeditures?
I think the best idea is to place them strategically downtown once all the remodeling of the new condows/hotels are done. We need a more attractive area to bring in tourist. Augusta needs the money!!
I say we go with melting them down. With metal prices these days, I'm suprised they haven't been stolen and sold for scrap.
Who cares?
I care. And the asset they represent is worth standing up for. If anything could put downtown on a map it is this collection of art. Have you ever seen the Bull near Wall Street, the Texas Longhorns in Dallas, or James Brown in Augusta? These assets are as powerful in representing Augusta as anything we have going, and they and the people that are responsible for them deserve respect.
we don't need a golf hall of fame in augusta there is already one in florida this has been a waste of tax payers money from the start
we don't need a golf hall of fame in augusta there is already one in florida this has been a waste of tax payers money from the start
Hey you nay-sayers, Are you STILL living in Augusta ? Do you EVER see the bright side of ANYTHING ? It's about time for a nice building to house those statues. The Hall of Fame Group needs to PEE or get off the pot. Spend money the right way and make it ALL a great tourist atrtraction...Augusta NEEDS something Good and different...Other cities the size of Augusta have many good attractions, I know cause I travel a lot and enjoy these places. Come-on Augusta, learn some REAL ways to market an otherwise neat city. Your tax money is gonna be spent anyway so it might as well be for a POSITIVE instead of a negative...
Either sll'em to the National Golf Course or move them to the airport.
No, they have a very high potential for attracting people to downtown. I do not believe they need to be placed back into a high maintenance park setting. This town has a lot of creative people in it, a lot of culture. Put those minds together and use those bronzes in a way that everyone can enjoy them for free. Do you see how many people love having their pictures taken with James Brown? I have had mine taken with Payne Stewart at Pinehurst. The statues can create memories for people that will be shared for years. This is not about golf, but about taking advantage of your differentiation.
Melt them down and use the metal for bullets in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The sculptures were not paid for with tax money. They had private donors for each one.
I say place them along Broad St downtown, just as Aiken has done with the horses. Place them at different intersections and rename or add their name to the streets there. Leave James Brown Blvd alone and place them all around it. That way everyone would be happy.
I believe they cost between $30,000 or $40,000 apiece. I do not beleive that private money paid for all of them. Remember that the Augusta National never had anything to do with the park and some of the statues were vandalized when they were left unguarded in the public view. Just a bad idea all the way round.
The baseball stadium downtown is a great idea the Hall of Fame and botantial gardens could be part of the baseball complex. Think about the number of people coming downtown for the games, the restaurants would profit and so would all of the other downtown businesses. Once again the mayor is right on target.
What I want to know is when they are going to make a statue of a black golfer like Tiger Woods.
I disagree. The City should accommodate this art on Broad Street in a way that makes it a stand alone attraction. They were not cheap sculptures, they do not belong to the City, but none the less, they are City assets and we should do what is necessary to get them onto Broad Street. Again, I say, build on what gives Augusta differentiation.
ok, I see, let me hold the statues I know a good junk dealer that can get me good money for bronze and brass... Hey lets put it in the civic center where no one will see it....
just donate the d@#n things to the Augusta National and lets cut our losses
Because our statues legislature dosent feel that gardens are worth saving, I believe we should scrap the hall of fame and donate the statues and land to the city of Augusta or at least sell it. Augusta is know for being the golf capitol of the world so give it city and return the statues to there homes. To melt down the statues would be stupid and i believe that the name should be change from GA golf hall of fame to the Augusta National Golf hall of fame to repecent the club and the city's rich history in golf. Lastly if you have seen the statues there lovely and leaving it as a park public would be great. A dog park on the other really would suck. Our commissioners should consider another Augusta park out of its 63 park and recreation centers. Like Pendleton King Park is for birds.
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