Dali Museum Expansion: $3B Impact, New Galleries

0:00What's up? I'm Corey, and these are your headlines from Tampa Bay News today. The Dolly Museum in downtown St. Petersburg is gearing up for a big expansion. Officials unveiled plans this week for a $65 million project that will add about 35,000 square feet to the campus at one. Dolly Boulevard. Construction should start in fall 2026 with the new areas opening to visitors in 2028. The upgrades include flexible galleries for immersive art and technology shows, a learning center for K-12 students and adult programs, plus spaces for community events. Most of the bill will go on the south side between the current building and Dolly Boulevard with a bit extending west. Beck Architecture teamed up with Yan Waymau from Harvard, Jolly, and PBK on the design. Leaders from Visit St. Pete Clearwater call the museum a key cultural driver for the area, boosting the region's global draw. Since its waterfront home opened in 2011, it has pumped more than $1 billion into the local

1:02economy. Lately, that is over $100 million a year, including $53 million in direct spending on jobs and tourism. Funding mixes private gifts, corporate support, and a $25 million tourist tax grant from 2024. The museum will stay open through construction, working closely with spots like the Mahaffee Theatre and the Firestone Grand Prix to keep things smooth. A three-dimensional model of the plans debuts Saturday, May 2nd, in a new exhibit on the museum's architecture past and future. Officials expect the expansion to draw millions more visitors and generate $3 billion in impact over the next decade, tying into a larger, art center push downtown. We'd like to thank our sponsor for making this episode possible. A pillow that sounds as good as it feels. Built for listening and