Money for Chattanooga History Museum runs out before any exhibits are built

After raising more than $10 million over the past 10 years, the Chattanooga History Center apparently is out of money before it ever opened in the building at 2 W. Aquarium Way it has occupied since 2006.

The downtown center was to be a revolutionary interactive museum — "a world-class destination," in the words of former director Daryl Black.

But River City Co. CEO Kim White told the Times Free Press this week that museum officers informed her in late December they did not have money to continue making payments on the building's approximately $1.8 million mortgage. White had suggested the center move to a smaller, more affordable downtown building. But the officers told White they could not afford a smaller venue without a financial partner's help. No partner materialized.

"They told me they would talk with the [downtown Chattanooga] Public Library about moving onto a floor of that building," White said Monday. "They notified their donors and me two days ago that they would be leaving."

The Aquarium Way building was purchased for about $2.3 million. A move to the library essentially would reduce the two-story, 11,000-square-foot Chattanooga History Center to an exhibit rather than a museum. The center already has spent about $4 million on renovating the vast, airy space above the ground-floor Puckett's restaurant. Benches, metal frames and glass partitions have been bought and installed. ...