Wal-Mart's Art Museum Facing Delays?
The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas may not be finished as quickly as was originally planned. The museum is being designed to house one of the world's greatest collections of American art, the one amassed by Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton. Walton has spent the last few years snapping up treasures by American artists including paying a record price for the 1849 Asher B. Durand work "Kindred Spirits." But the museum, which was slated to open in 2010 may not be ready for until 2011 or beyond. In his recent state of the city address, Bentonville mayor Bob McCaslin referred to the museum as opening in 2011. But the AP also quotes a subcontractor which has said that their job will run through 2011 which could mean it may be an even longer wait. The museum should have a clearer idea of when the opening date may be sometime in the coming months.
Whenever it is completed it will be an impressive destination. The museum design by architect Moshe Safdie is rendered in glass and light wood and is arranged around two ponds at the center of the compound which are spanned by bridges. The building is set on around 100 acres of Ozarks forest, donated by the Walton family. Visitors will follow a lane through the woods to a knoll that overlooks the pavilions. From the knoll, glass elevators take visitors to a courtyard with a glass lobby that has a view of the water. The museum will offer 34,000 square feet of exhibition space as well as a cafe, performance hall, library and research center. Crystal Bridges is expected to bring in 250,000 visitors a year once it opens.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bob Mar 12th 2009 9:10AM
wal mart beware ..the workers freedom of choice act is comming...hahhahhah
Dudley Haas Mar 12th 2009 9:45AM
Dat ain't no Rose! Dat's Sue!
cindy Mar 12th 2009 10:16AM
Wonderful. They've cut back our hours but they can build an art museum? How caring.
BOB Mar 12th 2009 10:33AM
Problem fake art made in China.
star Mar 12th 2009 10:37AM
Unbelievable, Wal-Mart treats their employees like crap, won't pay a wage that one can live on and no benefits. BUT, they can build a Museum, now I see where the employees wages are going. Question is, why do the people put up with a company like this. I will not shop at Wal-Mart, nor will I ever shop there.
Jason Mar 12th 2009 2:36PM
The people that work there put up with it because they do not have an education and it is most likely better than McDonald's making greasy fake burgers. I do not agree with the way they treat workers nor do I agree with the way they pay them but that's how everything works. If a company or even most people can take advantage of someone or something they will. It really is the persons fault working there at the end of the day for not getting the skills to hold a better job. If if was easy to get a good job no one would bother going to school and learning.
Jackie Mar 12th 2009 5:17PM
It's not so much why do the workers put up with Wal-Mart, they usually don't have many choices. The Question is ... why do so many people shop there. Yea, prices are good, but look at what Wal-Mart of done... drive out compeditors ... then prices aren't as sharp as they were. WHY DO YOU SHOP THERE IS THE QUESTION.
Annamai Mar 12th 2009 10:57AM
Interesting parallel. I just made a Youtube video about what pathetic scumbags Walmart is comprised of. As a country, we are going to have to go to war with companies like these. They CANNOT be allowed to fester any longer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFLbXZVpW1I
- Annamai
kcfella Mar 12th 2009 12:30PM
Walmart is not building this museum, Alice Walton is. She does not own or run Walmart, she is simply a stock holder like hundreds of thousands of others. If she wants to use some of her extreme wealth (richest woman in America) to build a museum for others, I think it is great. Nobody judges you when you want to spend your money, why should we judge her, especially when it is for good. By the way, Walmart employees are generally happy with the jobs they have and I am definately happy with paying low prices. Walmart is smart not getting stuck with some corrupt union like all the automakers got ruined by.
Antonia Mar 12th 2009 12:09PM
You are wrong about the employees being happy these days and you can ask any person that works for Walmart, How all there hours both full time and part time are getting cut so that the company can keep up there profit that they have going. All mite be well for those that don't have to work in the stores but they sit in there offices and work out ways to keep there wallets full while there employees have to scrape and look for another meaning of income. I guess you are basing your reason on the past and not the future. And how do you know if the money used was all her's and not some of the company's.
Frankie D Mar 12th 2009 11:59AM
Class warfare will destroy this country. American artists are thrilled to be selling their work to Alice Walton, builders are thrilled to be constructing a museum, suppliers are thrilled to be supplying building materials for the museum and no one has to work at Wal Mart for the rest of their life. Fortunately, this is still America where we can improve our positions and move forward and prosper and help others willing to help themselves along the way.
Rashon Mar 12th 2009 1:19PM
I'm a wal-mart associate,
i worked 4 wal-mart bk in 2000, i stayed there about a 11/2, the shift that i was working mysteriously was eleminated, then i was a rehire bk in 2008, on day shift, i'm a single parent (2) kids & it was like pulling teeth just 2 get decent hours & not get stuck with 2-11pm shift, these mgrs just wont budge for (some) so 2 make a long story short i had no choice but 2 go overnight 10-7pm leaving my oldest 2 take care of the youngest, it sucks but there's no compassion @ all, i'm really dissapointed in the store that i work @.
jen Mar 12th 2009 1:17PM
antonia you are right i work for walmart and it's true i barely can squeak by paying my bills my house going on foreclosure and on verge of bankruptcy and why because our company takes away the money . at only 6-9.20 an hour it doesnt cut it seriously folks ! an art museum SAM would LAUGH at THIS POOR IDEA!
Shelly Mar 13th 2009 4:29PM
If Alice Walton were able to access funds that rightly belonged to Wal-Mart's stockholders to use in the building of this museum, she would be charged by the Feds just like John Rigas of Adelphia Cable. She does not even have access to Wal-Mart funds, only her dividends from her stocks. Oh, yes, let's drag someone who has an altruistic notion through the mud. Bottom line, we are still technically, for the short-term, a capitalist country. Don't worry. When Obama's plan to take away all tax incentives for donating to charity come to pass we won't have to thank people who CHOOSE to share their wealth anymore.
AMEE Mar 12th 2009 1:39PM
OWNER OR SHARE HOLDER,IT DOESNT MATTER. THAT MUSEUM WAS PURCHASED WITH STUFF MADE IN OTHER COUNTRIES,SLAVE LABOR,SWEAT SHOPS AND GREED. IT IS A REMINDER OF ALL THE JOBS LOST RIGHT HERE AT HOME AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND HEALTH CARE. THEN THERE IS THE STUPID ASS CHANTS THE EMBARRASED EMPLOYEES HAVE TO DO EVERY DAY IN FRONT OF THE STORE AND CUSTOMERS. NOW THAT IS DEGRADING!!
otrpu Mar 12th 2009 1:38PM
Wonder what they're gonna do when all those illegal aliens go through and leave used baby diapers all over the place. Hire an illegal alien to pick them up I guess.
arcowboy Mar 12th 2009 1:41PM
There is no Wal Mart money going into this project all is from the Walton Foundation (Alice Walton).
If anyone is unhappy working for Wal Mart they are free to go else where for employment. When a new WM is about to open there are 500 jobs available approximately and usually anywhere from 1500 to 5000 applying for the jobs. So quit knocking Wal Mart for being efficient . If you have employees nowadays you would understand. No one wants to give an honest days work for an honest days wages.
'
There is a reason that almost every company in the world is in trouble, but good management is making Wal Mart stable and a desirable stock still.
Charlene Mar 12th 2009 3:23PM
This is not a Wal-Mart project. It is an Alice Walton project. Alice has nothing to do with Wal-Mart other than she was a family member. She has never even been on the board.