The new two-year state capital budget is expected to include funds that could help facilitate an agreement between COSI and the American Museum of Natural History to bring exhibits, including dinosaurs, to Columbus.

The new two-year state capital budget includes funds that could help facilitate an agreement between COSI and the American Museum of Natural History to bring exhibits, including dinosaurs, to Columbus.

The Columbus Partnership requested $5 million for the COSI project, that funding was included in the budget unveiled today. The request says the money will �create a regional attraction� by converting underutilized space within the building to create a dinosaur hall.

�Natural history is something our visitors have told us time and time again they would like to see more of in COSI,� said Jaclyn Reynolds, COSI spokeswoman.

COSI has been in talks with the American Museum of Natural History, the New York-based museum portrayed in the 2006 movie �Night at the Museum.�

�Obviously the American Museum of Natural History is internationally renowned for natural history,� Reynolds said. �We have been in conversations with them as part of exploring those opportunities to add a natural-history experience.�

Reynolds said COSI has nothing to formally announce yet. That could change if the funding gets final approval by lawmakers and Gov. John Kasich before the legislature breaks for the summer in early June. GOP leaders today said they expect the two-year, $2.6 billion budget to pass by the end of April or early May.

�This funding would help make this a reality,� Reynolds said.

A number of projects proposed by the Columbus Partnership received funding in the capital budget, though some won�t get as much as requested. Some projects also got funding that were not on the Partnership list, which prioritizes capital funding requests from central Ohio. It submitted $30.3 million in requests to the Kasich administration.

The capital budget includes $650 million for local school construction, continuing a program to rebuild and renovate buildings in nearly every district in the state. It also will include $484 million for university construction, including funding to support the statewide university system. Another $500 million is targeted for roads, bridges and water systems.

Community projects such as arts centers, parks and other local construction projects, tend to attract the most attention in the budget as local officials and lawmakers jockey for funds in their regions. Lawmakers said total community project requests came in over $1 billion and funding will total $160 million.

�This is truly a win for Ohio,� Senate President Keith Faber, R-Celina, said of the budget. � This is possible because of Ohio�s strong financial position.�

Both Faber and Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, said it was a collaborative process to put the budget together with the Kasich administration. Few changes are expected before it passes.

The Franklin County projects in the bill are:

$5 million for the COSI museum. $4.03 million for the underground parking garage at the Scioto Peninsula. $1.5 million for the Edison Welding Institute. $1 million for the YWCA downtown renovation. $1 million for the new Charleen & Charles Hinson Amphitheater in New Albany. $1 million for the Franklin Park Conservatory. $1 million for the Worthington Pools. $750,000 for the Columbus College of Art & Design. $750,000 for two projects at the Columbus Zoo. $500,000 for the Dream Field in Grove City. $500,000 for the Scioto River Corridor Metro Parks. $500,000 for the Galloway Sports Complex. $500,000 for the Scioto Audubon Metro Park pedestrian bridge. $500,000 for the Columbus Crew for facility improvements. $500,000 for CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence. $500,000 for the Otterbein University STEAM Innovation Center. $450,000 for the Lifetown Financial Literacy Arts and STEM center. $300,000 for Lincoln Theatre renovations. $250,000 for the Hilliard Rails to Trails. $250,000 for the Columbus Briggsdale Apartments. $250,000 for the Lettuce Work expansion. $250,000 for the McCutcheon Road Park. $250,000 for the path expansion project in Upper Arlington. $250,000 for Palace Theatre renovations. $250,000 for the Tremont connector trails in Upper Arlington. $150,000 for the Aminah Robinson Cultural Arts Center in Columbus. $150,000 for Topiary Park improvements and the main library renovation. $100,000 for the Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM). $100,000 for the Sullivant Avenue Teen Tech Lounge and Career Lab.. $100,000 for the Buckeye Ranch kids treatment center. $50,000 for the Motts Military Museum 9/11 memorial. $50,000 for the Alvis Women community re-entry project.

Some Partnership requests did not make the cut, including $1 million for OhioHealth to help build a trauma bay and new helipad at Grant Medical Center.

One major Columbus Partnership request was nixed back in February�$5 million to help the Cleveland Browns bill a Columbus facility that could be used for summer training camp. It drew opposition from both northeast and southwest Ohio legislators.

Legislative leaders discussed the capital budget this morning, and the Senate Finance Committee will begin hearings this afternoon.

jsiegel@dispatch.com

@phrontpage