Year after sinkhole disaster, 'Vette museum healthy

By Graham Kozak, Crain News Service

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (Feb. 19, 2015) — It was just over one year ago that a massive sinkhole appeared on the floor of the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green.

Though eight rare Corvettes were swallowed up by the sinkhole, the 20-year-old museum turned the headline-grabbing disaster into a publicity bonanza: Attendance was up 67 percent year-over-year, and the facility seems well-positioned to come out of the whole affair standing on firm ground.

The same can't be said about all eight of the cars impacted by the disaster. Five were deemed too far gone to restore; only the 2009 “Blue Devil” ZR1 prototype, the one-millionth Corvette and the 1962 Corvette will be returned to their former glory. The others will serve as a dramatic reminder of the disaster — they'll be displayed in the museum's Skydome, shattered fiberglass still encrusted with dirt, rocks and clay.

Though some thought was given to preserving a part of the sinkhole for future visitors, the museum says it simply wasn't feasible. Workers finished filling the hole in January. But visitors will still be able to learn about what happened thanks to interactive exhibits.

According to Katie Frassinelli, the museum's communications manager, “The construction team installed a manhole which leads into one side of our cave. The exhibit will incorporate a kiosk which connects to a camera and lights inside the cave, allowing visitors a live view of what lies beneath their feet. The exhibit should be educational and entertaining, with plenty of hands-on and interactive features.”

Even without the legacy of the sinkhole to lure visitors to the museum, however, there's a lot going on in Bowling Green: The ambitious new National Corvette Museum Motorsports Park is up and running, Corvette Museum delivery remains an option for those purchasing a new C7, and the engine build experience returns for those confident enough in their mechanical skills to bolt together the heart of their Corvette Z06.

Gazing past the abyss, the National Corvette Museum looks forward to a post sinkhole future.

When we visited in October, museum Executive Director Wendell Strode told us that, despite the major draw last February's disaster provided, his goal over the past year was always to provide “about 15 minutes of sinkhole and 45 minutes-plus of Corvettes.” Future visitors will have to make do with even less sinkhole, but there seems to be more than enough Corvette goings-on to keep people coming back in 2015 and beyond.

This report appeared on the website of Crain's Autoweek magazine, a Detroit-based sister publication of Tire Business.