Confluence Project Backers Say They’ll Fight For Restoration Of Budget Funding

Supporters of a proposed performing arts center in Eau Claire say they’ll fight to get state funding back in the budget after the Joint Finance Committee stripped it out Thursday.

Officials from Eau Claire were in the room when the Joint Finance Committee yanked a $15 million state grant from the budget destined for a downtown performing arts center known as the Confluence Project. Eau Claire City Council President Kerry Kincaid said it’s a big blow for supporters.

“The four people sitting down there were shocked,” he said.

Language was added that would open the door to state Building Commission funding in 2017, but Kincaid said that would be too late.

“We have so much local energy, we have local commitments of real money,” he said. “We have venues that are waiting to improve themselves and jobs that are waiting.”

Kincaid said supporters will fight to get the funding back in the budget but she doesn’t know what the project would look like without state money.