Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) proposes to cough up $2 million to lure the Birchmere nightclub to Silver Spring. If Maryland’s legislature approves, the Birchmere ball falls into the county’s court.
Correction appended. (Jan 25, 2007)
The state’s $2 million check, proposed Thursday, must be matched with county funds as part of a 2006 deal. In September, county exec Doug Duncan (D) and Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R) committed a combined $8 million to opening a Birchmere venue at the former J.C. Penney on Georgia Avenue, according to The Gazette.
Current county exec Ike Leggett (D) does not mention funds for the Birchmere project in his proposed 2008 budget. Leggett entertains budget suggestions tonight in Long Branch.
O’Malley’s proposed budget also tags almost $1.3 million for construction of a cultural arts center at Montgomery College’s Silver Spring-Takoma Park campus. That project erects a 500-seat theater, along with a 100-seat auditorium, on Georgia Avenue at East-West Highway.
The county could send nearly $1.4 million towards expansion of the college’s campus if Leggett’s recommendation is approved. His proposal does not specify how much goes towards the cultural arts center.
Correction: County exec Ike Leggett’s proposed operating budget doesn’t mention the Birchmere–or anything else–because it hasn’t been written yet. He reveals his draft operating budget on March 15. His proposed capital budget is available online. (Jan 25, 2007)
Read 
What the hell are they building now? Learn more from 
Boxed wines and rosés are back in vogue. Just ask The Penguin's sommeliers.
So is the Birchmere funded by the county?
Thanks for your question, Joseph.
County exec Ike Leggett won’t have the final draft of his proposed 2008 budget until March 15. It’s unclear whether the Birchmere is calculated in the finances.
Leggett has invited residents to send their budget suggestions either online or in person at this month’s public forums. The county council also will hold public forums on the budget this spring, according to the Office of Management and Budget.
Final budget approval from the county council doesn’t happen until the end of May.
What you are linking to is the capital budget. It’s my understanding that any funds for the Birchmere project will be in the operating budget, which has not yet been compiled or proposed.
Too many budgets!
What you say makes sense, Mike. I will correct the article.
Thanks!
[...] The county and the state would split an $8 million tab to build the facility, which the county then would lease to the Birchmere. The state has already proposed a bond for the first $2 million. [...]
[...] Gary Oelze believed that negotiations were still alive and kicking, The Gazette reports. Both the state and county have pegged a combined $4 million to bring a Birchmere expansion to the former JC Penney [...]
[...] we had was a basic concept” Leggett told a small group of local bloggers. The state and county would drop a combined $8 million over two years to turn the former JC Penney site on [...]