Whoever is setting
these types of expectations is programming a huge backlash against heritage tourism funding in the future:
Officials in Wheeling believe the city could attract as many as 250,000 tourists each year by becoming the home of the National Civil War Memorial, especially if construction is completed by 2011, the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the war.
Those 250,000 would be visiting (get ready) "a lot of stone and bronze in a circular structure 85 feet in diameter."
The estimated cost is $8 million to $10 million, which Casteel hopes will come mainly from private donations. He said the commission wants congressional recognition for the memorial but not federal funding, because such funding could lead to influence over what should be displayed."We're not looking for a politically correct story," Casteel said. "We're looking for the true story."
They have one thing straight, in any case.
