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 Members of the committee on hand included Bill Hoagland of the
Logan County Tourism Bureau, Bill Thomas and Tami Goodrich. Alderman
Michelle Bauer is also a member of the committee. In attendance on
Tuesday, as an alderman, she did not officially participate in the
update.
Hoagland was the first to address the council, noting as the new
director of the Tourism Bureau, he was very excited to be a part of
the committee and excited about the plans for the Tropics sign.
He noted that the Tropics Restaurant in Lincoln was iconic and a
great representation of our 'greatest generation,’ post-World War
II. He recalled growing up in Lincoln that as a kid, his parents
took the family to the Tropics from time to time. He remembered that
it was a special place. His folks would dress well and go in and
enjoy cocktails before dinner. He said that it was always a noisy
place because people were there visiting and interacting with one
another. It was a very social place where conversations took place
across tables and also between tables.
Hoagland concluded that the time in history was a time when people
enjoyed themselves, and the Tropics in Lincoln was one of those
great places where they did just that.
 Hoagland then introduced Thomas who talked to the council about the
future of the sign. Goodrich went around the room providing handouts
to those in attendance. Thomas began by telling the council that the
committee has secured a location for the sign. He noted that the
memorandum of understanding between the Tourism Bureau, the
Goodrich’s and the city, indicated that all three parties needed to
approve of the location, so he would be asking the city for a vote
to approve. He told the council that he would also be asking for
money.
Thomas went on to say the goal of returning the sign to its former
beauty was to create a new attraction associated with Route 66, and
through the new attraction to increase traffic into Lincoln off of
Route 66.
He then announced that Jack Millan and McDonalds Corporate have
agreed to allow the sign to be placed in their overflow parking lot,
which will be located to the north of the new restaurant being built
in Lincoln this year.
Thomas said this was the perfect location for the sign because it
will be located as closely as possible to the original location of
the restaurant, which is significant.
Pointing to photos handed out by Goodrich, he talked about the
sign's locations. He said that there was work to be done over the
next year, that would include having the sign restored, building the
platform for its location in the parking lot and securing
electricity to the sign so that the neon can be lit as it always was
when the Tropics was in its heyday.
Thomas said the group had a budget put together to show all the
costs involved, and as soon as the city adds their stamp of approval
to the location, they will start putting together fundraisers as
well as grant applications to various funding sources. He said
securing the location is going to be a key component of successful
fundraising as well as winning grant awards.
Thomas said the committee had two estimates for the sign
restoration, one from Prairie Signs of Bloomington and a second from
Ace Signs in Springfield. Thomas said he has worked with Prairie
Signs and knew they would do quality work. They are the least
expensive bid. However, he said in spite of Ace being a little
higher, he has spent time with Ace representatives, and he is
leaning toward hiring them to do the work.
In addition to the restoration, the foundation for the sign will
have to be prepared, and it will be best to do that while McDonald's
is building its next building and parking lot. Thomas said the
McDonalds work is set to begin within the next few weeks and will
start with the demolition of the old Tropics and the former AT&T
phone store.
Thomas said that during the demolition, the committee would be
permitted to harvest bricks from the restaurant, and those bricks
will be part of a future fundraiser. The committee will also need
to work to get the easements needed to run electricity to the sign
right away.
Thomas presented a timeline to the council that indicated that
restoration of the sign would begin in the third quarter of 2017 and
the sign would be returned to Lincoln and set in place early in
2018.
Thomas had two budgets, one with a cost of about $60,000 and a
second closer to $80,000. He said that he also had a list of grants
and fundraising efforts that the committee would use to reach those
financial goals.
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Included on the list, he said there would be a
grant application to the National Parks Route 66 Corridor grant
program, which is the same grant award the Mill received in 2016. He
said that award if won, would be paid in September of 2017. There
will also be a grant application to Ameren in the amount of $5,000.
The committee will ask the Tourism Bureau to pitch in $5,000, and
the city will be asked to provide $17,000. There will also be grant
applications to a private foundation and the Illinois Scenic Byways.
The committee will hold one fundraiser at McDonald's, and will also
hold additional fundraisers, and seek out private donations.
Thomas said the goal is to raise more than is needed. He concluded that he has
become pretty good at raising money and budgeting and accomplishing what he sets
out to do, and the rest of the committee is as committed to achieving the goals
before them as he is.
When Thomas opened the floor for questions, Todd Mourning asked about the
estimated $1,350 per year for maintenance. Thomas said that expense would be the
responsibility of the city per the conditions set up in the memorandum of
understanding. Thomas reminded the council that the city owns the sign. The
Tourism Bureau is in charge of it until it is restored, then it will once again
be the responsibility of the city.
Bauer said that part of the conversations held in the committee included asking
the city for money from the hotel/motel tax. She said that she didn’t think it
would be fair to take the money from the bureau as the city has just now
completed the funding agreement with the bureau. However, the city does not give
all the hotel/motel tax to the Bureau. The Bureau gets 85 percent, and the city
keeps 15 percent.
Marty Neitzel noted the city is being asked for money now. She wondered what the
city money would be used for. Thomas said that the concrete and electric for the
foundation of the sign needed to go in at the same time the parking lot is being
built, and that will be within the next few months.
Rick Hoefle asked if Thomas had any facts and figures about the economic impact
the sign would have in Lincoln. Thomas said he did not have numbers, but he knew
there would be a positive impact in adding another Route 66 attraction to the
city. Thomas added that economic impact would be a future discussion and
information will be put together.
Bauer noted that the sign would be a vehicle to drive visitors to other Route 66
locations in town. She noted those driving Route 66 would find it and be
directed to places such as the covered wagon, Postville Courthouse, the downtown
area, and the Mill. She said, and for those not necessarily traveling Route 66,
the bold sign will draw attention and may spark an interest in seeing the rest
of the sights in Lincoln.
Hoefle noted that the city does have leftover funding from the hotel/motel tax,
he wondered what the balance was. City Administrator Clay Johnson and Treasurer
Chuck Conzo agreed that at the moment there is approximately $40,000.
Looking at the budget proposals, Steve Parrott noted that in one budget the city
is being asked for $17,000 and in the second budget $19,500. He wondered which
the committee was asking for now. Thomas said he’d love to have the $19,500, but
is asking for the $17,000. Parrott also wanted to know if the city granted this
amount was there a chance the committee would be back asking for more. Thomas
said that was not the intention, but yes, there is always a chance that more
funding will be needed.
Bauer said she wanted to commend the committee and Goodrich for working so hard
to accomplish what has been accomplished thus far. She said that in the time she
has been on the committee, one of the biggest questions from the public has been
“where are you going to put it (the sign).” Bauer said with a location secured,
fundraising for the sign, and getting community support is going to be much
easier than it has been until now.
The aldermen concluded this discussion by talking about what motions to put on
the agenda. There will be two motions; one to approve the location, and a second
to approve the funding request. Due to the President’s Day holiday next Monday
the city council will hold its next voting session on Tuesday, February 21st,.
It is expected that they will vote on these two motions. However, the council
has the right to table any action item if they feel they are not prepared to
make an informed decision.
[Nila Smith]
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