National Corvette Museum Reports Serious Sinkhole Collapse

Posted by Jim Volgarino on Feb 12, 2014 in Press Release | 0 comments

No one is hurt, but 8 Corvettes are damaged

at Bowling Green, Kentucky facility

National Corvette Museum staff received a call at 5:44am from a security company alerting them of  motion detectors going off in the Skydome area of the Museum.  Upon arrival it was discovered that a sinkhole had collapsed within the Museum.  No one was in or around the Museum at the time.  The Bowling Green Fire Department arrived on the scene and secured the area.  The Fire Department has estimated the size of the hole is 40 feet across and 25-30 feet deep.

 

Click here for Corvette Museum Security Footage

Click here for drone video from inside collapsed National Corvette Museum

Click here for press conference announcing GM role in restoration of damaged Corvettes

 

 

The Museum released a statement that said, “It is with heavy hearts that we report that eight Corvettes were affected by this incident.

“As it started happening, it triggered an alarm, so the security company called an employee,” Museum Executive Director Wendell Strode said. The alarm, which was triggered at 5:38 a.m., also resulted in a call to the fire department. “It’s about 20 feet deep. As best as I can see it is about as big as the pedestal area where we had the cars displayed,” Strode said.  The dome is part of the original museum for which construction began in 1992 and was complete in 1994. Strode said nothing can be done about the cars until a structural engineer arrives and evaluates the situation.
“We also have called some karst people from Western Kentucky University to come out and see what is going on. This is the first incidence of a sinkhole on the property”, he said.
Currently, plans are for the museum to be open, but the dome room will be closed.

 

Cars Damaged:

 

1962 Black Corvette
1984 PPG Pace Car
1992 White 1 Millionth Corvette
1993 Ruby Red 40th Anniversary Corvette
2001 Mallett Hammer Z06 Corvette
2009 White 1.5 Millionth Corvette
1993 ZR-1 Spyder on loan from General Motors
2009 ZR1 “Blue Devil” on loan from General Motors

 

None of the cars affected were on loan from individuals.  The Skydome exhibit area of the Museum is a separate structure connected to the main Museum.  A structural engineer is now on-site to assess the existing damage and stability of the surrounding areas.  “The Museum is closed to the public for the day to allow us to carefully assess the situation.  We will keep everyone informed as we know more.”

 

 

With the 20th Anniversary celebration, Grand Opening of the NCM Motorsports Park, and the National Corvette Caravan coming August 27-30, we’ve got a lot to be excited about in 2014, and look forward to getting the Skydome repaired and reopened very soon.

 

The National Corvette Museum is the ‘Gateway to All Things Corvette’ and a member-driven, 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation. Weekly news on the latest Corvette developments, racing updates, event features and raffles are available by subscribing to “NCM eNews” at: corvettemuseum.org/ncmenews. Dedicated to the mission of celebration, education and preservation, the Museum is open seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT – located at Exit 28 on I-65 in Bowling Green, KY.