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Committee approves MOSH redevelopment agreement with auditor changes after naming‑rights and access debate
Summary
The committee approved technical and auditor‑recommended amendments to the MOSH redevelopment agreement and related documents, clarifying funding timing, parking minimums, city access to the new museum, and adding a requirement that final exterior naming rights return to city council for approval.
The Neighborhoods Committee on March 17 approved amendments to the Museum of Science & History (MOSH) redevelopment agreement and cost‑disbursement provisions (Ordinance 2025‑103), including technical corrections and auditor‑recommended protections. The committee approved the package with a recorded vote of 7–0.
Nut graf: The package adds clarifications on funding timing, JSEB participation goals, parking minimums, and city access to the completed facility. Committee members pressed MOSH and Downtown Investment Authority (DIA) staff on completion risk, cost overruns, and control of naming rights; the committee adopted an amendment requiring exterior ("signature") naming rights to be returned to city council for final approval.
What the legislation does The amendments approved by the committee included technical clarifications (timelines, cross‑default language across related agreements, document exhibits and lien satisfaction requirements) and auditor‑recommended changes. The auditors' items included a requirement that MOSH include a minimum of 75 parking spaces in final design, that MOSH procure materials to leverage sales tax exemptions, limits on exterior naming‑right duration (20 years maximum), and language to allow the city reasonable access to the facility.
City access and naming rights Laurie Boyer, CEO of the Downtown Investment Authority, said DIA and MOSH agreed that the city would have access for two full museum events per year at no charge, and four additional uses of a designated event space annually. "There is contemplated to be a, you know, large meeting room and then a rooftop event space... that would be the designated event space," Boyer said. The committee accepted auditors' language clarifying that arrangement.
On exterior naming, Councilmember Salem offered and carried an amendment requiring final approval of signature exterior naming rights to come back to city council rather than be handled administratively. Miss Boyer and representatives of MOSH said CSX has been announced as a lead donor and asked the committee to consider approving CSX as the named sponsor later via separate legislation; several council members said such naming decisions should be handled as separate council action and not folded into this redevelopment ordinance.
Concerns raised Auditor and staff presentations noted risks for the city, including that cost overruns are the responsibility of MOSH but could lead to additional city funding requests, and that performance deadlines could be repeatedly extended; if MOSH were to abandon the project mid‑construction the city could face a partially completed structure. Staff said a letter of credit or performance bond could be considered, but that requiring onerous credit instruments could raise MOSH's costs and hamper fundraising.
Vote and next steps The committee approved the redevelopment amendments as amended. The package will move forward to other council committees for further consideration and appropriation steps; auditors and staff highlighted that the council will need to appropriate planned CIP dollars in future budgets for continued city participation in the project.
Ending MOSH and DIA said they have revised exhibits and lease drafts to reflect the auditor changes and the council amendment on naming. Committee members said they will continue oversight in future CIP and budget cycles as the city's financial commitment and MOSH's construction schedule proceed.
