>>GERRY: INDIANA BASKETBALL GREAT LARRY BIRD WITH FOREVER BE SYNONYMOUS WITH INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY AND TERRE HAUTE, BUT
THAT LEGACY IS SOON TO BE FURTHER STRENGTHENED. BILL BENNER HAS MORE IN THIS WEEK'S INSIDE INDIANA SPORTS.
BILL ... >>BILL: THANKS, GERRY. BIRD'S RISE FROM THE SMALL TOWN HICK FROM FRENCH LICK TO THE
LARRY LEGEND OF BOSTON CELTICS LORE TOOK HOLD DURING HIS CAREER WITH THE SYCAMORES, CULTIVATING IN THEIR TRIP TO THE 1979 NCAA
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. NOW BIRD'S CAREER WILL BE FOREVER ON DISPLAY IN THE NEW LARRY BIRD MUSEUM WHICH WILL BE
PART OF THE TERRE HAUTE CONVENTION CENTER. AND JOINING US TODAY TO DISCUSS THIS EXCITING ATTRACTION OF
TERRE HAUTE MAYOR DUKE BENNETT. MAYOR, WELCOME ... THANKS FOR MAKING THE DRIVE OVER >> GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> HE WAS OVER FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT LAST MONTH AND HOW DOES THIS COME ABOUT? >> WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A
CONVENTION CENTER FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS SO WHEN THAT BECAME A REALITY WE THOUGHT A COUPLE OF THINGS.
ONE IS GREG GIBSON THE LOCAL GUY FROM TERRE HAUTE AND HIS FATHER REALLY HELPED LARRY WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO INDIANA STATE
UNIVERSITY BUT THEY'VE STORED A LOT OF HIS MEMORABILIA OVER THE YEARS SO AS WE WERE DEVELOPING THIS CUT CONVENTION CENTER
CONCEPT WE THOUGHT COULD THERE BE ROOM TO CREATE A LARRY BIRD MUSEUM OF ALL THAT MEMORABILIA INSTEAD OF IT STAYING IN STORAGE
WHERE NOBODY COULD SEE IT AND LET THE PUBLIC COME AND SEE ALL OF HIS STUFF BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF MEMORABILIA SO I GIVE
GREG GIBSON ALL THE CREDIT FOR THAT AND NOW IT'S TURNING INTO REALITY. >> I CAN IMAGINE WHAT A
TREMENDOUS ATTRACTION THIS WILL BE NOT JUST FROM PEOPLE AT TERRE HAUTE WAS STILL REMEMBER LARRY AS THAT GREAT SYCAMORE, BUT OR
PEOPLE FROM CROSS-COUNTRY AROUND THE WORLD WHO RECOGNIZE HIM. >> YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY PEOPLE COME TO GET HIS
PICTURE TAKEN WITH THE STATUTE BUT WHEN I TRAVEL AROUND I SAY WHERE YOU'RE FROM AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THEY WILL SAY LARRY
BIRD HE IS JUST SUCH A RENOWNED FIGURE FOR ALL OF US HERE IN INDIANA, BUT ESPECIALLY TERRE HAUTE AND THIS WILL BE SOMETHING
THAT NOT ONLY LOCAL PEOPLE WANT CENTRAL INDIANA, BUT THEY WILL COME FROM ALL OVER. >> PART OF A LARGER STRATEGY
THAT WILL BE CONSTRUCTED AND YOU WILL HAVE SORT OF A MUSEUM DISTRICT THAT THIS WILL BE THE CENTER PIECE.
>> NINE MUSEUMS WITHIN THE WALKING DISTANCE INCLUDING THIS ONE AND THE CHILDREN'S MUSEUM RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET.
THE HOLOCAUST MUSEUM COMING DOWNTOWN AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION BUT MOVING. IT IS REALLY KIND OF AN AMAZING
THING THAT'S TRANSPIRED OVER THE LAST 10-12 YEARS OF CREATING THOSE QUALITY-OF-LIFE DESTINATIONS.
>> I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HIS CAREER NOT JUST HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE, PEARL, OLYMPICS, I MEAN , HE HAS TOUCH THE GAME AND
SO MANY INCREDIBLE WAYS AND THIS WILL BE A FANTASTIC DISPLAY. >> IT WELL. WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT ALL
THOSE THINGS FROM HIGH SCHOOL ALL THE WAY THROUGH, HE HAS A LOT OF ITEMS TO BE DISPLAYED BUT A LOT OF THINGS WE ARE PROUD OF.
AND KEEPING THEM IN STORAGE I THINK NONE OF US, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT SO THAT'S REALLY WHERE THAT IDEA CAME FROM WAS LET'S
CREATE A DESTINATION AND CELEBRATE THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF LARRY BIRD. >> I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT.
CONSTRUCTION STARTS NEXT SPRING SO CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE FINISHED PRODUCT.