Macon will probably get another year to prove it can support the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
But the city still didn't receive a stamp of approval from the hall's board members.
The Hall of Fame Authority rejected bids Thursday from all four cities -- Macon, Athens, Dunwoody and Woodstock -- competing to land the embattled attraction, closing the bidding process for the year and adopting a contingency plan that could keep the museum open in Macon through at least June 30.
"The authority left open the possibility that its museum in Macon could remain open beyond June 30th if local funding becomes available," said Robert Highsmith, chairman of the authority.
As part of the contingency plan developed by Hall of Fame Director Lisa Love, the museum will restructure and streamline its entire operation. That includes transferring the majority of the museum's collection to libraries at the University of Georgia, Georgia State University and the University of West Georgia, and sending files to State Records and Archives.
And as part of the authority's decision, Halls of Fame Inc. in Macon has about 30 days to show that it can secure funding for the attraction for another year.
Halls of Fame Inc. pledged funding for the next three years and city and county officials in Macon have reportedly offered about $1.1 million over five years to keep the attraction in town.
Some board members remain skeptical that Macon will be able to support the museum.
The Hall of Fame Authority started soliciting bids to move the attraction from Macon last year after the state announced that it wanted to end an annual subsidy that has allowed the poorly attended hall to operate since its opening in 1996.
The hall is not in Gov. Nathan Deal's budget for fiscal year 2012.
The authority had until April 15 to make a decision on the museum's location but had the right to reject all of the proposals if it felt there wasn't a good match.
Danny Ross, chairman of the Dunwoody Music Conservancy, Inc., said local proponents of the bid were disappointed about Thursday's vote but still were uncertain that Macon would be able to come through with the necessary funding.
"I think the thing is still in flux," Ross said. "Even a year from now, it would still be an attractive thing for Dunwoody to have."
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