The state of Texas is making a major change to the management of the iconic landmark the Alamo. The General Land Office is ending its contract with the Daughters of the Republic of Texas to run the Shrine of Texas Liberty.
For more than one hundred years the Daughters of the Republic of Texas have managed the Alamo. But in recent years the non-profit heritage organization has come under fire for problems with preserving the Spanish mission that was built in 1744 and became a battleground for Texas independence in 1836.
Becky Dennin is the director of the Alamo with the Texas General Land Office.
“We have tremendous needs that we know need to happen for the Alamo in the future,” Dennin said.
In a statement the Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush said the change help "create a bigger, brighter future for this Texas shrine.
British rock star Phil Collins recently donated his massive collection of Alamo historic artifacts to Texas.
“We have the Phil Collins collection that needs a home. We have to build a museum and visitor’s center for that. We need to be able to take kinda up a notch – in management and in our ability to expand and think bigger,” she said.
The contract with the DRT runs through the end of the August 2016 – but now terminates July 10.
Dennin said the Land Office will now launch a nationwide search for a company to manage the Alamo. They will be looking for an organization with a history in operating historic sites.
The Alamo was the scene of a major battle in the Texas Revolution - 180 defenders were killed at the site during a siege by Mexican forces.
