Under terms of the proposed agreement, the EDA will give the museum up to $25,000 to specifically hire a consulting firm to produce a phase two feasibility study. A total of $20,000 will come from city funds, with the remaining $5,000 from the EDA. The total cost of the study is expected to be between $40,000 to $50,000. The city would agree to fund half of that, with the rest coming from private donations. As part of the deal, the museum agrees to refund the money if the study is used to establish a location in another city, while EDA agrees to refund the city if it gets money back from the museum.

The study will figure out what types of exhibits would need to come to Waynesboro, which will then provide an idea of the financial requirements for the project and its structure. It’s expected to take about six months, with the results going in front of the museum’s board of directors in December or January. An earlier feasibility study on the project was completed by Richmond based Chmura Economics and Analytics in August. But while that study looked at details such as if the local community would support the facility, this master plan will determine what the end result will look like. That includes what types of exhibits will be included inside, how large the building will be and where it will be.

The earlier study also recommended three potential sites for the museum, with phase two examining cost for each. The first was in downtown Waynesboro, either at 320 West Main Street or using the Mill at South River. The second location was at the Waynesboro Industrial Park, just off Exit 96 from Interstate 64 and the third was on Lew Dewitt Boulevard near Zeus Digital Theater. Most of those would be new construction, whereas renovating an existing building could cut down on cost. The size of the structure will also play into the cost. The earlier study recommended a facility of approximately 21,850 square feet, including 10,000 square feet of exhibit space, at a cost of $7.3 million.

Solicitation of firms specializing in this procedure has begun. A firm is expected to be picked during the first week of June.

At this coming Monday’s city council meeting, the agreement will be formally approved. The funds will come from the EDA’s budget, an economic reserve fund and the general fund.

“It’s another step forward,” Waynesboro Director of Economic Development Greg Hitchin said.

The museum board would then have to consider if the project makes sense in the River City and how to go about funding it if the plan is to move forward.

According to the earlier study, the museum is estimated to bring in $1.35 million in new revenue every year, while also bringing an additional 65,582 people from eleven cities, including Staunton, Harrisonburg and Charlottesville, in addition to counties like Augusta and Albemarle.

The museum’s board of directors voted 10-2 in March to move forward with the plans for the facility.

Now, the next step in the process picking the firm. Hitchin reiterated that the hope is for the museum to be housed downtown near the South River if it does come to Waynesboro.