T. Scott Boatright, Reporter
03-20-2009
GRAMBLING — No timetable for the opening has been set, but work on the Eddie Robinson Museum on the Grambling State University campus is moving along at a solid pace.Zac Construction of Shreveport, which is building the museum, has put a new roof on the structure, which will be housed in the old Women’s Memorial Gymnasium, and has completed framework to the outside of the building.
“You can really see things about to start taking shape, so it’s a pretty exciting time,” said Wilbert Ellis, president of the Friends of Eddie Robinson. “They’re about to move and start work on some of the inside of the building, and that’s where things are really going to start falling into place.”
Sailor Jackson, director of Museum Audio, Video and Film for the Secretary of State’s office, attended a meeting with Zac Construction Wednesday and said he was pleased with what he saw and heard.
“They’re moving right on schedule,” Jackson said. “A lot of the metal framing is up and they’re going to start doing the electrical wiring next week.”
Jackson said the building’s foundation was recently reinforced, which has helped pick up the construction pace.
“Now that we’ve poured to reinforce under the foundation, things will really speed up,” Jackson said. “As long as we continue having good weather, it’s going to start coming together pretty fast.”
“We’re getting near the point where renovations themselves are pretty much complete; now we just start building the museum inside the existing building.”
The museum will house an exhibit for former players called “Tigers in the Pros,” an interactive database, at least one large bronze statue of Robinson, a re-creation of his GSU office complete with original desk and chalk board, a “film room” showing clips of Robinson throughout the years and an interactive play area where fans can test their football accuracy and abilities as Robinson’s voice critiques them in the background.
It will also included a 175-180 capacity banquet hall with prep kitchen, offices for museum staff and an archives and storage area.
“The thing that strikes me most is that it seems such a tribute to the man, to Coach Rob,” Ellis said. “Coach thought everything out so much, and planned down to the last detail. And that’s what’s being done in building this museum.”
Ellis said now he’s got to get back down to work raising funds.
“That’ll be a focus for me over the next few months,” Ellis said. “We need to bring in some more money.”
But Ellis isn’t alone in the fundraising department.
“We’ve all been involved in doing that,” Jackson said. “We have a nice little package put together and (Secretary of State) Jay Dardenne is committed to making this a special museum and to get it open as soon as possible.”
During groundbreaking ceremonies Sept. 20, 2008, hopes were that the museum could be open by the start of the 2009 football season.
Jackson said he is unsure if that would happen, but that it would be close.
“I think it’d be completed by the end of the year,” he said.
Make a museum donation
Those wishing to make a donation to The Friends of Eddie Robinson museum foundation can do so by sending a check or money order, made out to the The Friends of Eddie Robinson, to P.O. Box 550, Grambling, LA, 71272.
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