Crowd Funding, Not Tax Funding: CityArchRiver Announces $553M Kickstarter Campaign

The CityArchRiver2015 Foundation has announced that they will pursue funding using Kickstarter, the growing grassroots platform that has proved successful in funding everything from food trucks and films to school art projects. The largest successful Kickstarter project in St. Louis to-date has been an effort by The Luminary to raise $20,000 to move into a new space in the city's Cherokee Street arts district. Another successful campaign was completed by St. Louis native Phillip Andrew Morton, funding his Spanish Lake film. A first glance at that project will take place in St. Louis April 18 as part of the Shuttered Film Fest and Open/Closed: vacancy in St. Louis conference.

Clearly the CityArchRiver effort is on another scale entirely. The Luminary raised $22,224, 111% of their $20,000 goal, with the average backer giving about $65 to the project. CityArchRiver hopes to close a $473,000,000 funding gap with their grassroots project. Sometimes criticized as not being engaged with the St. Louis community, project organizers see the Kickstarter effort as a way to connect with individuals enthusiastic about the Arch and their city. "We know St. Lousians love the Arch, we use it in our business logos, look at it as we drive by and take out of town guests there," said project organizer Walter Metcalf. "If everyone in the region would each just pitch in $168.93, we would be there."

Jefferson National Expansion Memorial superintendent Tom Bradley, along with several CityArchRiver officials attended the recent Kickstarter seminar hosted by the Regional Arts Commission and left inspired. Bradley sees a paradigm shift in the new effort. "(the Arch) is a national park, but more, a national memorial. We can't let the city change it, or make it more attractive to residents, but we can ask them to fund it," Bradely told nextSTL. "This is a great opportunity for individuals to be part of this exciting project. It's not just your tax money, give us $100 and we'll add your name to a new time capsule."