Greensboro City Manager Concerned About Sustainability Of Civil Rights Museum

The City Manager in Greensboro says changes will be needed to ensure the success of the International Civil Rights Center and Museum. Jim Westmoreland told a civic club Wednesday that current operations can't be sustained.

Greensboro's city council loaned $1.5 million to the museum in 2013. The News and Record reports Westmoreland called that a good decision , but says he has concerns about the operational model of the museum, which he considers unsustainable.

That business model has included private donations and tax credit financing, where investors provide cash in return for tax breaks. The museum also holds an annual dinner and has revenue from admission tickets and museum store purchases.

Museum board chair Deena Hayes-Greene says management and staff are working on both short-term and long-range plans.

The museum announced last week that it had promoted its interim chief operating officer to CEO and had hired a full-time chief operating officer and development director.