By Robert Haugh
In 2015, the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) announced that it would move to Santa Clara. The effort was led by former City Councilman and now lobbyist Kevin Moore.
The plan was to locate the hall in a temporary space. Then, the City would build a new 3-acre aquatic complex in Santa Clara that would include a new Hall of Fame.
For his leadership, the ISHOF gave Moore their Service Award that year, too.
But in August 2018, ISHOF signed a deal with Fort Lauderdale to stay there. They signed a 30-year deal with the Florida city.
But no public announcement was made in the Mission City. Moore didn’t know they signed a lease with Fort Lauderdale when we asked about it earlier this month.
City staff knew about it last summer. According to Director of Communications Lenka Wright: “ISHOF requested to end their office use of the building on El Camino Real. As a result, the City of Santa Clara returned their deposit in fall 2018.”
This might not be a bad thing. According to Swim Swam Magazine, ISHOF was not really paying the rent that they said they were:
Financial documents included in the organization’s plan to move to Santa Clara included information that an audited financial report said the ISHOF was paying approximately $32,000 per month in rent and utilities. ISHOF CEO Brent Rutemiller says that this was “an accounting value and did not represent real cash.”
[…] Bitter also helped former Councilmember Kevin Moore in his efforts to move the International Swimming Hall of Fame to Santa Clara from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. That move fell apart last summer when they decided to snub Santa Clara and stay in Florida, as we reported. […]
No one wanted this lame exhibit anyway. All part of the smoke and mirrors aquatic Park.
Not cool. Kevin Moore should stop trying to waste your money and time on stupid expensive pipe dreams. He should reimburse the city.