Their efforts, which were helped by federal financing, have paid off.
Add to that $150 million in federal financing and the race was already at $1 billion by the end of July.
The next step in receiving full federal financing for the project is the final design.
Among the results was an avalanche of federal, state and private financing.
But federal financing is a crucial source of medical research dollars.
Unlike the governor, he does not support federal financing of the arts.
It helps that there is some federal financing on the way.
The project, which opened in the late 90's, was financed by federal, state and county financing.
The Senate also has little interest in moving on a bill that would increase federal financing for charities run by religious groups.
They say he has been especially ineffective in winning more Federal financing.
