Little Rock voters approved issuing bonds to benefit the Arkansas Arts Center and MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History during a special election Tuesday.
With all 72 precincts reporting, the complete but unofficial results were 6,729 in favor, 1,256 against.
A group campaigning for the ballot measure gathered with officials from the Arts Center, the MacArthur Museum and the city at a watch party Tuesday at the Heights Taco and Tamale restaurant.
Gary Smith, chairman of the Committee For Arts and History, which raised funds to mount an election campaign, said he was surprised by what he called a high turnout.
"I've been involved in a lot of campaigns and elections, and I have not ever seen such widespread support. And it's interesting that between the Robinson vote and this vote, that people of Little Rock really do want to support the arts," he said.
Tuesday's turnout was higher than the last special bond election in Little Rock in 2013 when voters approved a $68 million renovation of the Robinson Center. The turnout for that election was 5.9 percent.
This time, voters authorized bonds up to $37.5 million to be taken out and secured with proceeds from a 2 percent hotel tax the Board of Directors approved last year.
Collection of the tax began Jan. 1 and would have continued regardless of Tuesday's outcome.
Arts Center Executive Director Todd Herman said at the watch party with the bond sale approved, the center can move forward with specific plans.
The Arts Center hasn't yet announced any specific renovation or expansion plans because officials won't know what budget they're working with until they get an idea of how much private money can be raised to pair with the bond revenue.
Officials have said it will take significant private donations along with with the public money in order to do anything substantial.
Needs of the Arts Center, according to officials, include updating the heating-and-air system, adding vault storage and education spaces, and renovating the Children's Theatre and studio spaces.
Herman said fundraisers can tell private donors the center has public money secured, which will "go a long way" in getting more private donations.
The center will hire someone to do a feasibility study to estimate how much in private donations might be raised to develop a budget for the center's renovation or expansion.
A grand opening of the overhauled Arts Center is still four to five years away, Herman said.
Expansion and renovation will likely help attract "more spectacular" exhibitions, he added.
NW News on 02/11/2016