The new US$36m Dali Museum being built in St Petersburg, Florida, US, is nearing completion; however, developers have run into a US$5m funding shortfall.

Luckily for the museum's directors, Pinellas County's Tourist Development Council has recommended that county commissioners spend US$2.5m of its hotel bed tax revenue on the project.

The county initially refused funding, but the St Petersburg City Council said that it would also donate US$2.5m if the county matched it.

The museum, scheduled to open on 11 January next year, will replace the current site at 1000 Third St. SE. The new building, designed by Jann Weymouth at HOK Architects, will be located at Bayshore Drive and Fifth Avenue SE.

HOK said the museum is influenced by Dali's Surrealism, and that "though the museum is designed as a treasure box that shelters the priceless collection from hurricanes behind thick concrete walls, the box opens in ways that welcome and intrigue visitors".

It will feature the largest collection of Salvador Dali's works outside his home country of Spain.

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