MIAMI (WSVN) — The Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science has been bailed out by Miami-Dade County after the project was unable to raise funds to finish construction of its new residence.
The museum, named after billionaire contributors Patricia and Phillip Frost, have already received $165 million from Miami-Dade County. The museum is currently in the process of building a new home in Downtown Miami, however, the project is now tapped out and was unable to raise money to complete the project on its own.
The dilemma was the focus of a report released by the county’s inspector general, who questioned the administration’s oversight of the use of county money. "The residents of Miami-Dade County deserve better than this," said Miami-Dade mayoral candidate Raquel Regalado. "I believe that this emergency is a result of Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s administration’s neglect."
Gimenez pushed back at her remark. "Pretty easy to cast stones and all that," Gimenez said. "It’s a lot harder to actually be the mayor and make decisions, and actually find solutions to very difficult problems, and we did that today."
Tuesday, county commissioners approved a plan to use county money that will cover construction costs. Money originally meant for yearly contributions to the museum will be lumped together to provide the funds.
County commissioners may have approved the plan, but they agreed that there needs to be a plan to keep something like this from happening again, however, the Frost Museum plan is back on track. "Years from now, when our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren are going through that science museum, they are going to thank us for what we did today," Gimenez said.
Construction will continue with this final contribution from the county, however, in Gimenez’s plan, the museum may not come back to the county for help.