AROUND TOWN: Art auction goes forward in Boulder City to help historical association

Darrell McGarvey, business manager of the Boulder City Art Guild, said an art auction to raise money for the Boulder City Museum and Historical Association will continue despite the planned closing of the Boulder Dam Hotel on July 11.

The historical association owns and operates the hotel, the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum and a restaurant — all located in the same building at 1305 Arizona St. in the heart of Boulder City’s historic district. The hotel opened in 1933 during the construction of Hoover Dam when the federal government was building the town from scratch to house construction workers and their families.

The art auction, held at the Boulder Dam Credit Union, 530 Avenue G, started July 6 and will continue through July 24, as scheduled, McGarvey said. Local artists donated 69 framed pieces, along with several sculptures, ceramics and other works. People can view the art and make written bids during normal business hours Monday through Friday at the credit union. McGarvey said the art auction might raise as much as $5,000.

Roger Shoaff, general manager of the historical association, said on July 10 the BCMHA will try to raise $250,000 from investors and donors to reopen the hotel and museum by Sept. 10.  The Boulder City Redevelopment Agency, which is run by the City Council, declined to make a cash infusion this week that would have kept the hotel and other facilities open for another year.

Some 23 employees, about a third of whom are full-time workers, will be out of jobs when the hotel closes Saturday just before midnight.

Some other tenants in the building, including Regeena’s Boutique and Hollywood Gym, will be allowed to remain open for business inside the hotel building until mid-August, Shoaff said.

Shoaff said he didn’t know where the museum’s historic collection of artifacts and memorabilia would wind up, but stressed that the materials would be well cared for while options are considered.

The demise of the hotel and museum was the result of slipping occupancy rates in recent months combined with an inability of local donors to come up with the cash needed to stave off a closing.

“What we didn’t forecast was the depths of the recession,” Shoaff said.

-- John Maltby/View File Photo