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News & ArtsMonday, January 26, 2009
Economy / Housekeeping re: Always Be Closing: the Rumors Edition
Posted by Brendan Kiley on Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 2:35 PM
Bryce Seidl, chief executive of the Pacific Science Center, says they're not planning to file bankruptcy and that I should've waited to hear that from him before writing a post that begins with a rumor and ends with a call for public autopsies in his museum. He's probably right. I am a bad, bad blogger.
Also, vintageseattle.org would like some credit for the photo.
Seidl says the museum has around $3 million in manageable debt, a mortgage for a parking garage that the museum is slowly paying down like any other mortgage. But attendance is far less than expected—their current Lucy exhibit was expected to draw a quarter of a million people. By the exhibit's end on March 8, Seidl says he expects "somewhere north of 100,000, but I don't know how much more."
1
You guys are notoriously bad for using photos. I've seen a photo of mine on flickr with a "no commercial uses" clause end up here, in clear violation of the terms.
3
Nor should they, dan. I would never have run something like that as a full-on article, either online or in the paper. But as a tiny blip on a blog? That's what blogs are for.
4
Gregoire, Sims, PSC... you guys are on a roll. You should change the Stranger's masthead to "Seattle's Only Rumor Mill". Are you really that desperate for clicks to prove your worthiness to your advertisers that you're just wholesale posting baseless rumors to get visitors to your site? That's what it looks like.
5
It seems to me that a rumor about PSC going down unless people come and visit might actually have a positive effect on attendance.
It has inspired me to go see the Lucy exhibit, which you know, could be said to the most important archeological discovery in the last 100 years and is largely responsible for proving the evolution of man.
It has inspired me to go see the Lucy exhibit, which you know, could be said to the most important archeological discovery in the last 100 years and is largely responsible for proving the evolution of man.
7
That's really too bad. The Lucy exhibit was fascinating and well worth the membership I bought to attend. Yay science! Boo poor marketing.
8
No, you're a fine blogger. You should report it as soon as you hear it. That's what blogs are for (as well as what you mentioned in #2). All you have to do is add a little, "we have a call in to [whoever] so this might all me muck, but we'll get you the real poop when we get it," or something along those lines.
Always try to get a quote or confirmation, but if they're not answering, don't sit on a story. That's why online media is killing print: the immediacy factor.
9
It was pretty sorry, actually. You just threw up an unsubstantiated rumor, one with big potential to muck up PSC's relationships with funders.
It's also pretty dumb to pretend like your credibility on Slog is somehow separate from your credibility in The Stranger. This is a blog, yes, but it's an arm of a paper that strives for good journalism and you need to hold yourself to better standards because of that. This isn't just some kid's livejournal.
It's also pretty dumb to pretend like your credibility on Slog is somehow separate from your credibility in The Stranger. This is a blog, yes, but it's an arm of a paper that strives for good journalism and you need to hold yourself to better standards because of that. This isn't just some kid's livejournal.
10
@9 - there is little difference between slog and a kids livejournal
and double boo to the stranger using photos from the flickr pool without consent.
and double boo to the stranger using photos from the flickr pool without consent.
11
@4: You think a rumor about the fucking Science Center provides enough click-throughs to make a substantial financial impact? Seriously?
12
@ 9: There is a big difference between how I treat a story on Slog and how I treat it for the paper. A blog and a paper are not the same thing. Not yet, anyway.
@ 1 & 10: Accidents will happen. It's just forgetfulness, not malice. We try to be good and remember. We often fail.
@ 1 & 10: Accidents will happen. It's just forgetfulness, not malice. We try to be good and remember. We often fail.
14
@3 - Sweet Brandon! I guess I'll just copy your articles and post them in my blog without attribution while I sell ads around them. It's cool right? It's just my blog.
16
Since I saw your original post a day late, I'll re-post this here:
I used to work at PSC and have some insight into their financial issues.
1. This year, they got screwed by the Lucy exhibit. That is to say, they got screwed by Seattle Public Schools, who were signed up to come see Lucy and then canceled due to their own budget problems. This was a huge chunk of projected revenue that did not come to fruition.
2. They laid-off most of their exhibit development staff in 2002. That's why there's nothing new.
3. The idiots in charge purchased the land at the corner of 2nd and Denny to build a parking lot back around 1998. They did this when the Sonics were both still in Seattle and a winning team. First, the Sonics started sucking, and then they left town, meaning revenue from their parking lot (in spitting distance of Key Arena) never materialized and they are still paying for the land.
4. Despite being a non-profit, PSC has always operated almost exclusively off of their own revenue. Most donations go towards capital projects (like the IMAX dome). I always got the impression that their Board of Directors were a bunch of tight wads (hence no operating revenue donated from the Directors' day-jobs).
5. PSC is too big. The IMAX dome (their 2nd IMAX theatre ... the old Eames theatre is still there and still operational) and the Butterfly House are two of the best features at PSC, and were both added in the last 10 years or so. Unfortunately, instead of tearing down an old building to make room for them, they expanded the facility. So now, there's an unwieldy ops budget and 7 acres to fill, which just adds to the impression that they have the same old shitty exhibits.
It's sad really, because the lower-level employees are passionate and good at what they do. Working in this environment saps the morale and drives many people away (like me).
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I used to work at PSC and have some insight into their financial issues.
1. This year, they got screwed by the Lucy exhibit. That is to say, they got screwed by Seattle Public Schools, who were signed up to come see Lucy and then canceled due to their own budget problems. This was a huge chunk of projected revenue that did not come to fruition.
2. They laid-off most of their exhibit development staff in 2002. That's why there's nothing new.
3. The idiots in charge purchased the land at the corner of 2nd and Denny to build a parking lot back around 1998. They did this when the Sonics were both still in Seattle and a winning team. First, the Sonics started sucking, and then they left town, meaning revenue from their parking lot (in spitting distance of Key Arena) never materialized and they are still paying for the land.
4. Despite being a non-profit, PSC has always operated almost exclusively off of their own revenue. Most donations go towards capital projects (like the IMAX dome). I always got the impression that their Board of Directors were a bunch of tight wads (hence no operating revenue donated from the Directors' day-jobs).
5. PSC is too big. The IMAX dome (their 2nd IMAX theatre ... the old Eames theatre is still there and still operational) and the Butterfly House are two of the best features at PSC, and were both added in the last 10 years or so. Unfortunately, instead of tearing down an old building to make room for them, they expanded the facility. So now, there's an unwieldy ops budget and 7 acres to fill, which just adds to the impression that they have the same old shitty exhibits.
It's sad really, because the lower-level employees are passionate and good at what they do. Working in this environment saps the morale and drives many people away (like me).
17
Well I stand by what I posted in the comments yesterday. I think the Science Center is tired and the traveling exhibits they've brought in recently aren't that great. I think it is sad because of how much science and technology innovation happens here in the Seattle area. Our science museum should be at the forefront of cool, not some arcane pre-space age relic.
For me, a good example of a museum in this area is the Museum of Flight. There's the standard exhibits, always worth the wow factor for visitors, but there's also really engaging temporary exhibits, like the one about Simonyi's trip to space. And, they had a film there about World War II that has to have been the best summary of that war I have ever seen in my life.
I appreciate Mahtli69's insight @16 and am glad I am not the only one who expects more of PSC then what they currently provide.
For me, a good example of a museum in this area is the Museum of Flight. There's the standard exhibits, always worth the wow factor for visitors, but there's also really engaging temporary exhibits, like the one about Simonyi's trip to space. And, they had a film there about World War II that has to have been the best summary of that war I have ever seen in my life.
I appreciate Mahtli69's insight @16 and am glad I am not the only one who expects more of PSC then what they currently provide.
18
Brandon, thanks for posting the Guidestar link in your previous post. I knew that, as a non-profit, PSC's tax records were public, but I didn't know it was that accessible.
Perusing PSC's tax forms, I was surprised to see that they shelled out close to 100K per year to George Moynihan (former executive director) and Carole Grisham (former CFO) in 2006. I wonder what that's all about. Frankly, I think those two are to blame for the sad state of affairs that I detailed in my post above. I think current Executive Director Bryce Sydle inherited a broken museum.
Also gleaned from their tax forms, all of the VP's are making about 50% more in 2006 than they were making when I left in 2002. The exception is Bryce Sydle's position at 181K/yr, which is identical to George Moynihan's back in 2000.
Perusing PSC's tax forms, I was surprised to see that they shelled out close to 100K per year to George Moynihan (former executive director) and Carole Grisham (former CFO) in 2006. I wonder what that's all about. Frankly, I think those two are to blame for the sad state of affairs that I detailed in my post above. I think current Executive Director Bryce Sydle inherited a broken museum.
Also gleaned from their tax forms, all of the VP's are making about 50% more in 2006 than they were making when I left in 2002. The exception is Bryce Sydle's position at 181K/yr, which is identical to George Moynihan's back in 2000.
19
A lot of families with small kids are only renewing their Woodland Park Zoo and Seattle Art Museum family memberships.
Pacific Science Center has expensive parking and the kids are just as happy to play at the water fountain and park anyway.
Seattle Art Museum is more cultural and is on the bus routes, plus you can park free on Sundays and do the Market at the same time.
Pacific Science Center has expensive parking and the kids are just as happy to play at the water fountain and park anyway.
Seattle Art Museum is more cultural and is on the bus routes, plus you can park free on Sundays and do the Market at the same time.
20
@19 - Will, my kid loves PSC and would be bored to tears at SAM.
Also, Seattle Center is on 19 bus lines (I'm not exaggerating, there are actually 19, not including the Night Owl buses). So, you lost me there too.
Also, Seattle Center is on 19 bus lines (I'm not exaggerating, there are actually 19, not including the Night Owl buses). So, you lost me there too.
21
I didn't say you couldn't get there, but it's a fair walk for a lot of people. The only direct routes are 8, the Queen Anne routes, and 16.
Little kids start to whine after about two blocks.
Like I said, parking's expensive there.
Little kids start to whine after about two blocks.
Like I said, parking's expensive there.
22
Little kids also whine after about 10 floors in an elevator on the way to the park outside, that's why they have to live on the bottom floors of 40-100 story residential buildings. Little kids are known for their extreme lack of energy and love of paintings.
23
For fuck's sake Will, you can get there directly (as in within 200 yards) on the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 24, 30, 33, and 45. I omitted the ones that require you to walk 1/4 mile (17, 28, etc). If kids can't walk that far, they shouldn't be allowed to leave the house.
24
@12: Brendan: I understand that you treat stories with different standards for corroboration in the different venues, what I'm saying is that's the wrong approach and that your approach should change. A blog, when it engages in actual journalistic activity (like breaking the story of a major civic institution going broke), is a place for quick journalism, not shoddy journalism. It can be short, riddled with typos and full of cuss words, but it needs to be accurate and real.
In this instance, you identified it as a rumor (to your credit) but it clearly wasn't close enough to reality to warrant reporting at all.
You probably already read Talking Points Memo; those guys have found the balance.
In this instance, you identified it as a rumor (to your credit) but it clearly wasn't close enough to reality to warrant reporting at all.
You probably already read Talking Points Memo; those guys have found the balance.
25
And here I thought the reason why no one goes to the PSC is that it's way too easy to sneak into the place. Both my girl and I have done it accidentally while meeting someone there.
26
@19: Will, do you just make this shit up? Yeah, young kids just *love* having to be quiet, not run and look at a bunch of paintings and sculptures that mean nothing to them.
Parking is expensive in both places, if you choose to drive. As many others have pointed out, Seattle Center isn't exactly lacking for bus service.
Parking is expensive in both places, if you choose to drive. As many others have pointed out, Seattle Center isn't exactly lacking for bus service.
27
As someone close to PSC I can assure you that the rumor was near to the truth. It was discussed that PSC wouldn't be able to pay their debts by the end of February if they didn't make some drastic choices like layoffs and furloughs. However, that was discussed last year, and they were able to make changes for the "good" of the company. It's hard to say exactly why PSC is broken. If you ask them I'm sure there will be a lot of finger pointing. The immediate problem right now is attendance for a slightly overpriced exhibit. The people in charge made some bad choices, and they didn't do the right things to fix the situation. Right now they are stuck. They cannot garauntee that lowering the cost will bring more visitors. It's possible the same number of visitors will come, and then lowering the cost just puts them more behind on trying to break even. I think it's great the Times and the Stranger wrote articles about the situation. Now it's out in the open. They should have brought the general public in on this a while ago. Regardless of past mistakes or large risks that didn't pan out PSC is part of Seattle. I'm not excusing whatever they did to screw themselves over but keep the following in mind: you went there as a kid with your class and your family. You got your first hand job in the Planetarium. You bring dates there for IMAX and Laser Shows. Occasionally you catch really cool a traveling exhibit. I hope they are able to turn it around because I for one will be saddened if they go. Paul Allen sure isn't going to buy the space and make a better museum. His EMP and SciFi museums lose money hand over fist in their exhibits. They only reason they stay open is because the place looks cool inside and is a flashy place for rich businesses to party. Plus how else is he going to show off his collection. The science center would probably turn in to housing or parking. By they way, they don't run their parking garage. Ampco has the honor of sticking you with a $60.00 if you don't pay before you go inside. I park in the Seattle Center lots, way cheaper. You might be curious how I know some of this information. I'm a member at both places. The staff at both businesses are pretty honest about what's going on. Did you know that the science center's water features haven't been working for more than 6 months because their almost 50 year old pipes have leaks. How is a business supposed to cover the cost of that. It's got to be in the millions to fix it. So, if you like science and Seattle landmarks go visit PSC. If you like evolution or Ethiopia go see Lucy. Me, you'll see me in the Tropical Butterfly House keeping warm in this freezing weather.
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