Columbus, OH – The Buckeye Institute today awarded the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the dubious honor of the “#1 Most Ridiculous Budget Request” made to Ohio legislators this year.

The Hall of Fame is requesting $2 million be added to a state capital appropriations bill to help pay for renovation of a display of rock star signatures and an accompanying theatre.

“The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is addicted to taxpayers’ money,” said Dennis Cauchon, communications director at The Buckeye Institute. “The Hall is like a rock legend in need of rehab. Legislators should stop enabling bad habits and cut off the museum cold turkey.”

The Rock Hall has received more than $125 million in state and local tax money since its construction in Cleveland in 1995. The state alone has given $18 million to the Hall of Fame since 2009.

“The Hall deserves an induction into the Political Pork Hall of Fame for career achievement,” Cauchon said. The museum’s demand for tax money has been insatiable, starting with $65 million received from Ohio and Cleveland to construct the museum building.

According to its Form 990 income tax returns, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has: 

• Received an average of $4 million a year in government funds since 2001.
• Spent on average more than $100,000 annually on lobbying during that time.
• Increased compensation for its executives while seeking subsidies. (Rock Hall CEO Greg Harris got a $57,659 raise bringing his salary to $422,271, according to the most recent tax filing, for 2014.)

The Rock Hall disagrees with its placement on The Buckeye Institute list.

“We project that this requested investment from the appropriations budget of $2 million in the Signature Exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will generate $1 billion in economic impact for the State over the next 10 years,” said Todd Mesek, vice president of marketing and communications at the Hall of Fame.

Other projects making “The Five Most Ridiculous Budget Requests” countdown were:

#5 - Bowling Green Curling Club for a curling-only ice arena.

#4 - Columbus Crew for renovation of a privately owned soccer stadium.

#3 - Mapcap Puppet Theatre in Cincinnati for a puppet theatre.

#2 - Wright Image Group for a 270-foot tall “Triumph of Flight” statue in Dayton.

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