Timeline
Timeline of the Clinton Presidential Center
1992
1992 - Future Little Rock Initiative launched for neighborhood revitalization
1992 - Pfeifer buys land later identified as Presidential Center site
November 4, 1992 - Clinton elected to first term in office
1993
January 20, 1993 - Clinton sworn in as president
1995
August 1, 1995 - the citizens of Pulaski County went to the polls and voted for a one year, one cent sales tax for the purpose of building a multi-purpose arena and expanding the Little Rock Convention Center
1996
1996 - River Market Development project completed - cost is $3.5 M
November 5, 1996 - Clinton elected to second term as president
1997
1997 - a new main library opens in the renovated Fones Brothers warehouse on Rock Street in the heart of the Rivermarket District - cost is $13 M
January 20, 1997 - Clinton sworn in for a second term as president
February 13, 1997 - Clinton picks Little Rock as Library site over sites in Fayetteville, Hot Springs, North Little Rock, and Hope - 30 local sites in LR in running for Library
November 8, 1997 - Clinton chooses 27.2 acre Library site in east part of downtown Little Rock
mid-December 1997 - City of Little Rock floats proposal to pay $15 M for Library site with “hamburger tax”
1998
1998 - Clinton Foundation files first tax return - raises $3 M
1998 - $10.6 M Museum of Discovery opens in renovated Arkansas Democrat printing press building
February 1998 - City of Little Rock abandons plans for a hamburger tax
February 1998 - UA Fayetteville announced as educational partner in development of the Clinton School of Public Service
March 17, 1998 - City of Little Rock Board of Directors votes to approve $16.5 M in revenue bonds to purchase land for Library
April 10, 1998 - Empower Arkansas organized to block the revenue bond issue
June 1998 - Little Rock's Stephens Inc. begins issuing revenue bonds for Library site purchase
1999
1999 - $22.5 M expansion of Statehouse Convention Center
May 1999 - 1% local sales tax increase for Little Rock parks, zoo, and Library defeated by 70% of voters
June 28, 1999 - Clinton pitches Library to fashion executives at French restaurant in NYC - first public fundraising dinner speech
July 30, 1999 - City of Little Rock sues Eugene Pfeifer III in condemnation lawsuit
September 1999 - Polshek Partnership of NYC is named architectural firm for Library
October 1999 - ALLTEL Arena, an 18,000 seat multi-purpose facility, opens - cost is $71 M
2000
April 6, 2000 - Hearing on condemnation proceedings against landowner Eugene Pfeifer III
October 2000 - David Alsobrook named Clinton Presidential Materials Project Director
November 13, 2000 - City of Little Rock seizure of Pfeifer’s land is approved by Pulaski County Chancery Court
November 20, 2000 - 50 tons of Clinton memorabilia arrive in Little Rock
December 9, 2000 - Clinton unveils Library architectural plans
2001
January-March 2001 - State District Court and Arkansas Supreme Court hear arguments that City of LR illegally issued revenue bonds for Library
January 20, 2001 - Clinton pardons Marc Rich on last day in office
February 9, 2001 - News breaks that Denise Rich, ex-wife of pardoned financier Marc Rich, gave large sums of money to Clinton Foundation beginning in 1998 ($450,000 total)
February 22, 2001 - Clinton Foundation agrees to turn over financial records on donations by Denise Rich in compliance with federal subpoena
March 2001 - Clinton Foundation signs contract to purchase Camp David-style retreat for Clinton family and visiting dignitaries in Hot Springs - total cost is $1 M
March-April 2001 - Deployment Support Command moves 1.3 M pounds of Presidential paperwork to Little Rock
April 23, 2001 - Activist Nora Harris files lawsuit to block issuance of $16.5 M in revenue bonds for Library
May 2001 - Pfeifer files an appeal on the condemnation ruling
November 1, 2001 - Arkansas Supreme Court affirms taking of property from Pfeifer for library in Pfeifer v. City of Little Rock
December 6, 2001 - Clinton dedicates Library site
2002
June 5, 2002 - Groundbreaking on Library site
July 15, 2002 - Clinton Foundation sues State of Arkansas in Pulaski Circuit Court to recover $3.5 M in tax rebates under Advantage Arkansas program
August 12, 2002 - State Attorney General’s Office sues Pfeifer seeking $400,000 in cleanup costs for removal of “environmental toxins” from Library site
October 2, 2002 - Nora Harris lawsuit is dismissed
2003
October 29, 2003 - Groundbreaking for Heifer International Center
2004
March 24, 2004 -David Pryor, longtime U.S. senator and former governor, named first dean of the Clinton School of Public Service
May 5, 2004 - David Alsobrook named first director of the Clinton Presidential Library
November 1, 2004 - Central Arkansas Transit Authority’s (CATA) River Rail Electric Streetcar system officially opens to the public
November 14-18, 2004 - Clinton Presidential Center Grand Opening
November 18, 2004 - Dedication Ceremony for Library in rainstorm
November 19, 2004 - Clinton Library opens to the public
2005
October 27, 2005 - Arkansas Supreme Court rules that Library is entitled to tax rebates under Advantage Arkansas program
2007
Scheduled for 2007 completion - Arkansas Game and Fish Nature Center in North Little Rock
