Rock Hall sees changes 10 years later

CLEVELAND -- Some aging rockers -- yes, the Rolling Stones are on another tour -- just keep on rockin'. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, 10 years old this month, still rocks, too, but in a much quieter way.\nThe Rock Hall, trying to cope with a pattern of declining attendance, is low-key while marking its anniversary this month, in sharp contrast to its bold opening in 1995. And in typical fashion, it's quietly expanding.\n"We looked at what was appropriate," said Terry Stewart, the hall's chief executive officer. "We stepped back. Anniversaries are never like openings, and that was the most special event, a one-of-a-kind event."\nThousands of people flocked to Cleveland 10 years ago for the opening. Yoko Ono, Little Richard and Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner cut a ceremonial ribbon Sept. 1, 1995, outside of the Rock Hall. A benefit concert at the old Cleveland Stadium featured an array of artists that included Bruce Springsteen and Chuck Berry.\nThere was no special event on the actual anniversary date. But a museum exhibit about the Rock Hall's 10 years is being prepared to open Sept. 24.\nStewart said he is working on establishing the first endowment for the nonprofit, self-sufficient institution with 86 full-time employees and revenue last year of $15.1 million, and he is reshaping its board to add benefactors from across the nation instead of just from Cleveland, as it used to be.\nIn the past three years, members have been added from Miami, Boston, Nashville, Tenn., Atlanta, Detroit, Milwaukee, San Francisco and Phoenix.\n"And I'm looking for more in other cities," Stewart said, adding that the goal is to expand fund-raising.\nStewart is working on plans to put traveling exhibits in satellite halls in some cities, starting with Memphis, Tenn., and Phoenix.\nAnother top priority is a planned $10 million library and archive of rock music history in a new building at a Cleveland-area community college. Half the money is promised from the New York-based Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, the Rock Hall's parent organization, which produces an annual induction ceremony usually held in New York.\nStewart constantly hears from Rock Hall fans and critics who want the inductions in Cleveland, where they have been only once. Stewart said the inductions are the foundation's revenue source, and the Cleveland museum lacks the time or money to take those over. It has other issues to worry about, such as drawing its own crowd.\nLast year proved to be the Rock Hall's weakest for attendance, 413,000, down about 13 percent from the 476,000 total in 2003, which was the first year it drew less than 500,000. The totals are down substantially from the 873,000 who came the first full year in 1996.\n"We're always concerned with the number of visitors and we want repeat visitors. We want to make sure exhibits are fresh and collections are growing," said Suzan Evans, director of the Rock Hall Foundation.\nA salute to the music of Sam Cooke is being planned for the fall, and an exhibit dedicated to Bob Dylan is on tap for the spring.\nThe museum's future "is very secure. At the same time, I would never want to be too relaxed," said Evans, whose board is separate from the Cleveland museum's board, but work together.\nCivic planners in Cleveland had hoped the Rock Hall would spark vitality in a city that needed it.\nIndeed, the Rock Hall and its close neighbors, the Great Lakes Science Center and Cleveland Browns Stadium, also new additions at the Lake Erie shoreline, revitalized that part of downtown Cleveland. But the city is still not a major tourist draw, and its leaders have recently been discussing ambitious development plans, such as Mayor Jane Campbell's push for a casino.\nNew tourist attractions could help the Rock Hall, which draws 90 percent of its visitors from places other than Cleveland.\n"Few people travel from a long distance solely for one attraction or one part of an experience," said Dennis Roche, president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland.\n"I think the job here is to complement the Rock Hall with other venues that are also attractive. If the Rock Hall has not reached its peak yet, it's because we are not drawing enough to other venues"