AN ACT to appropriate funds for the North Carolina transportation museum.

Whereas, the North Carolina Transportation Museum, located in Rowan County, is the only one of its kind in the State, displaying the history of all forms of transportation in North Carolina; and

Whereas, the North Carolina Transportation Museum is a major economic engine for the Town of Spencer, and Rowan County in general, attracting more than 143,000 visitors and generating $18.3 million for the local economy in 2017; and

Whereas, the Power House, the second‑oldest structure at the North Carolina Transportation Museum, once provided the electricity required to run Southern Railway's largest repair facility, as well as the Town of Spencer; and

Whereas, renovating and expanding the Power House structure will enable the North Carolina Transportation Museum to move its outdoor programming space to a larger, safer area for shows, concerts, and festivals, and to provide rental space to generate additional revenue; and

Whereas, the State and the North Carolina Transportation Museum Foundation have spent $3,100,000 from 2005 through 2017 to bring the Power House to its current condition that is not yet finished for occupancy; Now, therefore,

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, Office of Archives and History, Division of State Historic Sites, the sum of two million five hundred thousand dollars ($2,500,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2021‑2022 fiscal year and the sum of two million dollars ($2,000,000) in nonrecurring funds for the 2022‑2023 fiscal year to complete the renovation and expansion of the Power House facility at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer.

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2021.