Burke Says She’d Provide $25M In Budget For Confluence Project

Democratic candidate for governor Mary Burke says she’ll provide up to $25 million in funding for a proposed arts and events facility in downtown Eau Claire if elected, meaning that no matter who’s elected in November, the project will have support in the executive office.

Supporters in Eau Claire have been raising money for years to build a three-theater performing arts center known as the Confluence Project. The original plan was to seek $25 million from the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents, but in June, Gov. Scott Walker said he would support funding the project with a state grant.

Confluence project planners began pursuing state funding after Walker’s comments. However, there was nevertheless uncertainty about what would happen if Walker wasn’t re-elected. Burke now she says she’ll provide funding for the project in her first state budget.

“I was in Eau Claire much earlier than June and voiced support for the project then,” said Burke. “So, I have been supportive from the start and would definitely support a non-state grant for it.”

Eau Claire Regional Arts Council executive director Ben Richgruber said that hearing that Burke and Walker both want to get the Confluence built is reassuring.

“I think there is more confidence moving forward,” said Richgruber. “We always knew that this was a bipartisan supported project. It’s not left or right or red or blue — this is a community development project and this is an economic development project.”

Despite having commitments from both candidates to use state money on the arts center, there’s still the question of how big the grant will be. In the current biennial budget, Walker included a total of $35 million for a number of projects. The $25 million for the Confluence Project alone would be the largest state grant of its kind in recent memory.