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-52- A. [[underlined]] Symbolism of the Location [[/underlined]] The Washington-Dulles International Airport lies on Federally administered land, and is generally viewed as the prime gateway to the Nation's capital, a perception reinforced by the phenomenal growth rate in air traffic in the last decade. Its architecturally distinguished terminal is known around the world as an international landmark, and we believe that for the long-term future its special association with the seat of the Federal Government is assured. The selection of Dulles, we believe, is the only one that suitably preserves the Smithsonian's special association with Washington and avoids the onset of a dangerous process of dispersing Smithsonian activities widely according to competing interests of the various states. B. [[underlined]] Land [[/underlined]] Maryland offers 100 acres at the BWI site, with an additional 17 acres usable for parking, just across the highway from that lot, to be connected by a pedestrian tunnel. Their proposal offers an additional 35 acres, should the Institution decide within 15 years that this land is needed. Thereafter, the Institution would still retain the right of first refusal to this added acreage for five more years. In effect, this is an offer for 152 acres at the BWI site. In addition, Maryland offers a second, 200-acre site for future Smithsonian expansion. It is located 1.5 miles from the proposed Extension site and is connected to the 17-acre parking lot by a right of way. The 200-acre plot is being acquired by Maryland as part of a much larger green belt linking the BWI area to Patapsco Valley State Park. Virginia offers 185 acres of attractive, wooded land at the Dulles site. The offer mentions the possibility of an additional 370 acres of contiguous property on the Dulles site. The use of that property would have to be negotiated with the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which has already written to the Institution condoning use of the 185 acres. It is our view that the Dulles site layout permits a less linear, more conveniently clustered configuration of museum buildings to be planned. Area for future development also is adjacent, while the area set aside for this purpose at BWI lies at a distance of one and one-half miles from the main campus. The 200-acre parcel mentioned in the BWI proposal is so far removed from the main campus that a unified plan for its use is difficult to visualize. C. [[underlined]] Financing and Infrastructure [[/underlined]] Maryland offers to provide all the infrastructure aid the Smithsonian had requested, including preparation of taxiways, grading, highway access improvements, etc., in all valued at roughly $35 million by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, except for the construction of a parking lot valued at $3 M. Maryland would operate that parking lot for the Institution, but the Institution would keep the income from it, reimbursing Maryland only for operating expenses. Shuttle bus services to the Extension would also be provided by the State. In addition, Maryland offers to conduct the site mapping, surveying, and environmental studies. Maryland offers to finance all three phases of the construction through MEDCO, a non-profit entity whose board of directors is named by the Governor. For each phase, MEDCO would
