DETROIT, MI - The Detroit Institute of Arts millage election passed Tuesday night in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties, and it gives free general admission to those residents for the next 10 years.

County residents can starting taking advantage of the free admission when the museum opens 10 a.m. today, and any day after that.

This election was a nail-biter in Macomb County because it generated a final tally of 63,270 yes votes (50.5%) and 61,930 no votes (49.5%). A loss in Macomb would've cost the DIA about $5 million.

"It was a closer slam dunk than I liked," said Ann Marie Erickson, the DIA's chief operating officer, of the election's results. "But it was good!"

DIA officials hope passage of the millage in the three counties will raise $300 million during the 10 years. The millage amounts to a $15-$20 increase for taxpayers annually, depnding on a resident's taxable value of their home.

Approval of the millage provides the DIA with $23 annually - $10 million from Oakland, $8 million from Wayne and the $5 million from Macomb.

Graham Beal, the DIA's director, thanked supporters at a museum party once the polls closed, and those who took part in a $2.5 million campaign.

"This has been a fantastic team effort,' Beal said. "Everyone in this room tonight has made a fantastic contribution."

Beal said museum officials want to build up the DIA's $170 million endowment fund so it doesn't have to ask for taxpayer money again.

Beal said at least half of that amount is considered "restricted" funds that can't be spent at this time.

"I'd like to say we'll become a normal museum," said Beal of the millage's passage. "We won't be out there scrambling every hour of every day to make sure our doors are open."

DIA Millage Vote Party 12 Gallery: DIA Millage Vote Party

Supporters of the DIA clearly enjoyed themselves at Tuesday night's party. At least 200 showed up once the polls closed at 8 p.m., and the DIA offered an open bar, pizza, hot dogs, nachos, cookies and lemon tarts.

A big screen TV was set up in the court to watch the election results on Detroit's Fox 2, and popular 80s tunes like Cyndi Lauper's "She Bop" played over a loudspeaker while the crowd settled in with food and drinks.

The alcohol, including beer and wine, was donated by a local catering company, and the pizza was bought from Buddy's at a heavy discount, said Larisa Zade, a DIA spokesperson.

Other items for the party were covered by the DIA's $2.5 million for the millage campaign. Donations to the fund ceased at the end of last month, Zade said.

The DIA's campaign to pass the millage is similar to the Detroit Zoo's successful effort to pass a millage in 2008.

Zoo director Ron Kagan told The Detroit News last week that the zoo struggled to fill an $8 million funding gap before the millage passed.

The newspaper reported that a .1 mills increase for the Zoo in the tri-county area, budget cuts, a boost in attendance and $4 million from the state helped the venue stay afloat.

This Detroit News report, citing a zoo spokesperson, also said zoo officials needed $10 million to $12 million annually to cover its $30 million operating budget.

Beal painted last week a bleak financial picture for the venue if the millage didn't pass in all three counties.

Beal said during a radio interview with WJR that the DIA's budget is currently $25 million, exactly $9 million less than it was 13 years ago, and would've dwindled to $20 million if the millage didn't pass in all three counties.

Beal suggested that the DIA would've had to cut back its weekly hours in order to adjust to its dwindling budget.

The DIA millage has been such a hot topic in Metro Detroit that a pair of brothers in Sylvan Lake recently raised money at a lemonade stand to support the venue. There have also were several rallies promoting the DIA and art in Detroit's urban core.