Todd Bank, president of Western Spirit, told the Tourism Development Commission on Oct. 21 that the museum recently completed a 12,000-square-foot, two-floor expansion and expects to open multiple new exhibits beginning next February.

Bank said the expansion increased museum space to about 55,000 square feet and cost $17 million. He said the Tourism Development Commission provided $1.2 million toward the project and that the museum also used previous municipal project/construction financing and private philanthropy to support the build-out.

“We recently just got the certificate of occupancy for our new 12,000 square feet of expansion,” Bank said. He said the museum will curate nine new exhibits over the coming year — four in the new space and five in existing galleries — and that the Eddie Basha western art collection has begun to ship to Scottsdale for display on the top floor.

Bank described recent programming and educational work: the museum plans to host about 70 new school groups this year (more than 4,000 students) as part of a K–6 curriculum link, and it has expanded public events and community receptions. He said the museum’s strategic objective is to increase annual attendance and awareness across the Phoenix area and statewide; the museum’s goal, he said, is to approach 100,000 annual visitors over time.

Commissioners thanked Bank for the update and welcomed the museum’s new director of marketing, Danielle Ajami, who Bank said has added momentum to the museum’s outreach. Bank also said the museum recently renovated the Virginia G. Piper Theater and modified a viewing window to better connect the gallery to the sculpture garden.

No formal action was taken; the presentation was received for information.