The Leonardo enjoys broad-based support from education, business, government and community leaders. Scroll right to read what some of them have to say about the project.
In addition to the $10 million voter-approved bond, contributions to The Leonardo have come from a variety of sources, including $2 million in gifts from the Tanner Charitable Trust, and $1.5 million from the George S. and Delores Doré Eccles Foundation. Other major donors include: Micron Technology Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, Salt Lake County, USANA Health Services, B.W. Bastian Foundation, Zions Bank, Fred Lampropoulos, and over 150 additional individuals and organizations.
The Leo Office: The following groups donated over $100,000 in materials and labor to get our office up and running: HB Stubbs Company, AJC Architects, Big-D Construction, Five9’s Communication, 3Form, JP Electrical, Karastan Contract, Office Express, Robert W. Speirs Plumbing, Inc., Terrafirma, and Wall 2 Wall Commercial Floor coverings.
Public Face: Two special groups have given of their precious time and talent to make sure that the way we present ourselves matches our vision: COGBOX (website -- ongoing) and Infinite Scale (multimedia production).
The Leonardo enjoys broad support among government, educational and community leaders, and significant public support. Take a look at what a few of our supporters have to say...
“The Leonardo will create a
vibrant and unique educational destination that will further enhance the
attractiveness of Library Square and Downtown Salt Lake City.”
Orrin Hatch
U.S. Senator
“The City Library already
draws over three million visitors a year. With the opening of The Leonardo,
the entire block will become a major draw for residents and tourists alike.
The Leonardo’s commitment to creating a world-class facility will build
both economic and cultural strength in the area, and serve as an asset to
downtown Salt Lake for many years to come.”
Lane Beattie
President, Salt Lake Chamber
“The Leonardo is tailor made
for the heart of Salt Lake City...It will add measurable to the cultural and
intellectual life of the people of Utah.”
David Gardner
Chair, J. Paul Getty Trust
Co-Chair, The Leonardo Capital Campaign
Former President, University of Utah and University of California
“The Leonardo will be a one of
a kind educational resource for our entire state—a place where people
with a science orientation (like me) can learn about art and culture, and vice
versa. I can't imagine a better way to expand horizons and opportunities
for the young people of our state.”
Jake Garn
Co-Chair, The Leonardo Capital Campaign
Former U.S. Senator
Former Astronaut
“The Greeks have two words for
time: chronos and kairos. Chronos means simple duration, or chronological time
as calculated on our clocks and calendars. Kairos suggests a different
understanding of time. It means the right or the opportune time for something
to occur. Thinking of The Leonardo at Library Square, this is what I believe:
it is a project whose time has come. For all the beauty and attraction of
other downtown sites, I believe that Salt Lake has always lacked a really
'public' square, a 'commons' if you like. The Leonardo
offers just the kind of institution and programs that will draw our diverse
population together.”
Bishop Carolyn Tanner Irish
Episcopal Diocese of Utah
“I love the idea of exploring
important concepts from the perspectives of art, culture and science; it leads
to creative problem solving and better communication. The Leonardo will
provide a place where this kind of discovery happens every day. I can't
wait until it opens.”
Karen Hale
State Senator
“We cannot expect Utah to be a
frontrunner in science and technology if we do not adequately invest in an
infrastructure that cultivates its important at the fundamental level. With
the launch of The Leonardo, Salt Lake will be setting the standard for science
centers worldwide.”
Dr. Dinesh Patel
Managing Director, vSpring Capital
Chair, USTAR Governing Authority
“With the completion of the
Leonardo, our Salt Lake City will at last have a gathering place and an
outstanding educational resource.”
Ted Wilson
Former Salt Lake City Mayor
“The Leonardo is a visionary
concept that will not only make great use of the former Main Library building,
but will also attract people from all over our state and region to our capital
city. In terms of economic development potential, it's a real
plus.”
Eric Jergensen
Salt Lake City Councilman
“The Leonardo is an ambitious
endeavor to create a place where our community can learn about art, science,
and culture...an extremely worthwhile project.”
Jim Matheson
U.S. Representative
“I have followed with great
interest the development of plans for (The Leonardo). The idea of bringing
together in one building—science, arts and culture—is exciting.
Having the old library building available and next to the very popular and
successful new library is a plus.”
Bob Bennett
U.S. Senator
“The Leonardo...is an
investment in the education of our children and their families,...it will be a
destination for after school activities. And it will have great appeal for
those in the community who are interested in science and technology.”
Winter Horton
Director, Utah Science Center Foundation
“The brilliant plans to house
the [Utah] Science Center under the same roof with integrated artistic
programs will create a unique resource that will stimulate learning,
creativity and invention in all of our citizens.”
Michael Keene
Former Utah State Science Advisor
