National Performance Boat Museum, introduction

[NPBM-LOTO]

National Performance Boat Museum
Located in Lake of the Ozarks, MO

Goal: To have a facility and participation center for preserving the history of Performance Boating and promoting the sport for generations in the future... “Where the past has molded our future!”

Emphasis: Performance boating, including Drag Boats, Off Shore Racing and Poker Run Events.

Overview: Our goal is to have a facility that incorporates the vision and feel of Race Rock blended with the operation and identity of the National Corvette Museum. We will include high-tech displays (videos), along with physical displays of history, including artwork to explain the history of the past and where it fits into today’s performance boating. The Museum is a Non-Profit Corporation.

The facility will have a display/tour area, theatre, library, classroom (boaters safety classes), merchandise store, offices, and catered deli area.

We will also be promoting numerous events throughout the year, including Fun Runs, Poker Runs, Manufacturer nights, Open Houses and art displays.

Location: We are currently confirming a leased property in the Osage Beach/Lake Ozark, MO area, which will be used until fundraising efforts allow the purchase of land to build a permanent Museum facility. We are anticipating the fundraising effort to take approximately 2-3 years before ground can be broken to build the facility.

Sources of Revenue:
A) General admission to tour the Museum;
B) Merchandise store with products available for purchase that will incorporate the Museum logo; additionally, we will have outside vendors displaying their products and sell on a percentage through the store;
C) Event revenue, including participant registrations, merchandise sales specific to each event, and sponsorships;
D) Supporter of the Museum memberships (i.e., individual, family, lifetime and corporate);
E) Boat/owner/dealership delivery program;
F) Fundraising to include raffles;
G) Brick and/or Tile sales (to be placed around the facility in the sidewalks); and
H) Donations.

Here is where we need your help today: We are looking for memorabilia, including event and race videos, displays (this can include manufacturers, clubs, race teams, organizations such as APBA, OPRA, OSS, etc.). Basically anything that is a performance boat related item to place in the Museum. Please note, we are also building a library based on ALL performance boat related information, so magazines, print brochures, manufacturer designs and drawings, engineering information, etc. to be placed in the Museum archives. Once opened, this should be an all inclusive one stop research facility for locating both historical and current information on manufacturing companies, boat models, and power plant information. All items received will be truly appreciated.

Within the next week, we are hoping to have our website completed and appropriately called: nationalperformanceboatmuseum.com. We will make the announcement as soon as the website goes live to the world. What we have highlighted thus far is just the beginning!

This will be a huge undertaking as it has already been in the planning stages for over three years. Due to the economy, it is a risky decision to make, We are projecting the performance boating community will rally for this project to build the Museum with financial support, as well as keeping an “ear to the ground” for items to be placed in the Museum for all to see.

Our direct telephone number is: (573) 723-4959.

The Journey begins!

Brian "Bajaholic" Newlun

[fund razor]

I see that you are soliciting gifts-in-kind at this point. Are you a 501 c 3 nonprofit, and will these gifts be acknowledged in accordance with IRS pub 1771? Thanks.

[NPBM-LOTO]

Yes sir! The attorneys and accountants have been busy setting everything up for us. Crossing the T's and dotting the I's, Submitting, recieving approvals, making sure everything is done right!

[fund razor]

That's great. Few take the time to do it right. People usually underestimate the details. The raffle thing may be an issue, every state views them differently.

Do you guys have a fundraising consultant for the campaign? I know a really good guy who does work in Missouri. He's from there. He's done other museums.
Among other projects, he did the campaign for the US Marshals Museum in Arkansas.

One idea that I didn't see is the process of building a database of donors and prospects. You'll want to invest in one of the software platforms and start seeing about getting lists from boat registrations, etc... to start a direct-mail campaign at some point. You could always start in MO and work your way outward. A good direct mail component will support the rest of your fundraising efforts.

When the website is up, be sure to have them put a "donate now" button right on the front page. Good luck.
Oh, welcome to Serious Offshore, btw.

[Bajaholic]

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestions. If you could email me the name and number of your consultant to: info@nationalperformanceboatmuseum.com

We already have the data base started. The one advantage of having taken forever to get this going is we have "over thought" and talked to numerous other facilities on suggestions.

Our web guy is working to finish up the site, with the donation button. We additionally have the "Membership" broke into different levels so hopefully we can reach each giving ability level.

Our understanding in the raffle is it will be based and goverened under Missouri law because technically all purchases of raffle tickets etc are in the state of Missouri. We will be announcing our first raffle once the website is up, with the first "giveaway" being @ Shootout. I will confirm all this again with the legal guys.


I am the first to say, I look for everyones suggestions, and if ever people see something that needs to be tweeked, contact me. We are building for generations to come, so we need to do it right!

[fund razor]

I'll send you the consultant info. My guess is that you'll do RFPs from several, so you can throw this guy in the mix.
Sounds like you have an unusually solid foundation.

It's really refreshing to see someone doing it right.

[NPBM-LOTO]

Thank you everyone for the kind words... I will be updating everyone on our progress as we move forward. We started this crazy idea 3 years ago, but with the economy it took a back seat for way too long. Finally one just has to say, go for it, what is the worst case? Luckily we have met great people and many have offered encouragement, so here we are.

We will be the ONLY performance boat museum in the country, there is numerous antique boat/ship museums, and a Hydro Racing Museum in Seattle, WA area (very nice by the way) but nothing for Drag boats, Offshore or most importantly the Performance boat lifestyle.

With everyone's encouragement and support we are building for the LONG haul.

Here is where we are currently at:

The corporation non-profit status is completed and filed.

The web site is being worked on and hopefully will be completed very soon.

We are down to a few different properties to sign a lease, we are trying to decide how to go, Choice 1 is a stand alone building, great exposure from both sides on HWY 54, good parking for people visiting and place to park boats etc for events. was most recently a car/boat dealership, would require some changing on the inside, but is nice. Basically most expensive per sq ft. Choice 2 is a stand alone building, entrance from both sides of 54, but a bit more tucked into lot and business around us, fast food, tile-granite store and tatoo parlor. Building is very nice, would require minimal changes, just layout. Cost is the least of the current 3 we are looking at(about 1/2 the cost) Choice 3 is an older store front (was a furniture store), on 54, front exposure, relatively large lot just down from a boat dealership. Can take 1/2 of building which could lead to expansion as time goes on. Basically the same price as first choice but much larger in size. I Like choice number 2 for the cost, but the tattoo place makes me think people may be uneasy stopping to see the museum? Decisions, Decisions...

We are actiively looking for donations/loan of items for display.

We have partnered with Performance Boat Brokers in Camdenton, MO for our first raffle boat to be given away at Shootout, more on that to come once the website is up and running.

This week is about getting the word out to the world we are coming... To be continued!

[Gordo]

Looking forward to a visit!