The municipality of Assen plans to finance the arrival of a new TT Museum in the city center. The mayor and aldermen have a maximum of 1 million euros available for a museum dedicated to the annual motorcycle racing event.
The council is positive about the arrival of the TT Museum and therefore wants to account for forty percent of the total investment, with a maximum of 1 million euros. The municipal council wrote this in a letter to the municipal council. In total, around 2.7 million euros are needed.
According to the municipality, this is a one-off subsidy. Assen does not intend to invest money in the operation of the museum. Not even if the museum has financial shortages in the future.
Before the money reaches the TT Museum Foundation’s account, the Assen municipal council must still approve the subsidy. Before the council votes on it, the municipality wants to be sure that other lenders will come up with the rest of the amount.
Chairman Sandra Hoekman of the TT Museum Foundation is pleased that a first step has been taken. “But the race is not over yet. It is wonderful that the municipality is behind us. Other lenders are always the first to ask whether the municipality will also invest,” says Hoekman. “Now we have to get the rest of the money together.”
According to Hoekman, an investment from the municipality in any case opens the door to serious discussions with other investors, such as the province of Drenthe and the TT Circuit. Hoekman: “There has already been an exploratory discussion with the province, but no commitment has been made. So we have to get to work.”