Businesses Fear Tryon Palace's Future

NEW BERN, N.C. - North Carolina's budget fight could close one of the state's most recognizable landmarks.

The latest proposal from Senate republicans would gut the funding for Tryon Palace by 36 percent in July and almost 90 percent a year later.  It prompted a strong reaction in New Bern where Tryon Palace catches your attention from every angle.

The people who run it hope the prospect of closing it in July of next year grabs even more attention. 

"We're going to fight as hard as we can,” said Tryon Palace Director Kay Williams.  “Not just for jobs, not just for the economy, but more importantly for history education."

This lifeblood of Downtown New Bern finds itself on the chopping block as lawmakers try to figure out how close a $2.5 billion budget shortfall.  Businesses in Downtown New Bern remember suffering for years when construction of the Cunningham Bridge made it hard for people to get here. Losing Tryon Palace could add insult to injury.

"If you're gonna pick on Eastern North Carolina, which is the one thing we've got, the jewel, we were the original capital and to make that close when you've got all these other places free to get in, that doesn't seem fair," said Tom Ballance, owner of Captain Ratty’s Restaurant in Downtown New Bern.

Tom Ballance has owned Downtown's Captain Ratty's Restaurant for almost 12 years.  He says tourists make up half his business during the peak season.

“If Tryon Palace isn't here, you're gonna see a drop in probably tourism 50 - 75 percent,” Ballance said.

Now try this on for size.  Most operations of the North Carolina History Center at Tryon Palace could also go.  It only opened last October at a cost of $60 million, $42 million of it paid by the state.  That’s lost money if lawmakers don't save Tryon Palace.

The Department of Cultural Resources says other attractions that could close out include the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City and the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex in Fayetteville.

 ---Prior Story---

NEW BERN, N.C. - Supporters call it the jewel of New Bern, but the Tryon Palace could shut down for good.

That's because the proposed Senate budget will cut nearly 40 percent of funds this year, and almost 90 percent of funds next year.

But supporters aren't throwing in the towel just yet.

Greg Smith describes the Palace: "Walk into this gate here, to visit this palace. You experience the sights, the sounds, the scents...it's a total experience".

A total experience that may soon be gone.

Smith is just one Tryon Palace supporter who is speaking out, saying how important the facility is to New Bern.

He says "A visitor comes to New Bern, to this town, and they come to experience living history and that's what's different about this facility".

Smith and others gathered in New Bern Wednesday afternoon, hoping the proposed Senate budget doesn't pass.

Kay Williams is the Director of Tryon Palace. She says "But yesterday we learned we were being eliminated from the equation. We were not prepared to loose nearly 90 percent of our budget".

Williams says if the budget is passed, the palace will be forced to shut down by July of 2012.

Supporters say the Tryon Palace really has a significant impact here in New Bern. In fact, they tell us it brings 40-million dollars every year.

That's why supporters want to fight back, telling state leaders how important the Palace is to New Bern.

John Ward is a member of the Tryon Palace Commission. We asked him if he thought he could make a difference. He said  "I don't know. I mean, we've not backed down from fights before and there's no need to back down now".

We're told more than 140-thousand people visit the Palace every year.

We're also told it creates or impacts more than 160 jobs.

And with this much at stake supporters say they aren't backing down without a fight.

Supporters also argue that too much money has gone into the palace to shut it down.

--- Original Story ---

NEW BERN, N.C. - A jewel of New Bern’s community is again on the chopping block.

That’s according to supporters who gathered today in front of Tryon Palace for an afternoon news conference.

A state budget proposal would cut appropriations 36 percent in 2011 and 88 percent in 2012.  That means this year’s programs would be shuttered.

Many believe that by 2012, Tryon Palace could cease to exist.

It generates about 40 million dollars a year to the community.

Kay Williams, the director of Tryon Palace, said they can't handle a 36 percent cut and aren’t sure what has to be cut.  They have about 80 permanent employees, 40 hourly and 300 volunteers.

She said the Palace, “has probably been the state's most successful private-public partnership."

They’ve had cuts to the budget for years.  With each of those cuts, they’ve rallied by getting private support.

Tryon Palace supporters want people to communicate with the state government to not allow this to happen.

Nine On Your Side has a crew on the scene and will have more details tonight at 6 on Eyewitness News 9.