 Welcome and thank you all for being here as we celebrate this monumental milestone, not just for the Bull Street District, but for all of Columbia. My name is Robert Hughes, President of Hughes Development Corporation, Master Developer of the Bull Street District, and I'll be your MC for our event today. I want to start by thanking all of you for being here. Each one of you was invited because of the contribution you have made to this building, this district, and this city. As a company, we have been looking forward to this day for nearly three years. It was roughly two weeks after a fire destroyed the Babcock Building's cupola that Clacken Properties committed to rebuilding Columbia's second largest dome, and we have been anticipating this day ever since. A day to celebrate, a day to congratulate Clacken Properties on the successful redevelopment of this building, and a day to thank all of you for your role in the transformation of South Carolina State Hospital into a thriving downtown district. This is a defining moment for Bull Street. Today is a tribute to the leadership and quality of people in the city of Columbia and Richland County. The people of Columbia and Richland County came together to do something that many thought could not be done. On the first day our company stepped foot on the Bull Street campus, we knew that the entire 181-acre redevelopment would be measured by the ability to restore the building behind me. I'm in awe of the work Clacken Properties has done to give this building and help give this district new life. There truly is no way to name all of the political business and community leaders in the audience today, but I am going to take a minute to address a couple groups. First thank you to all of the former and current county and city council members and staff who have been engaged with us at Bull Street for over 10 years, really since 2010. There is no way we could have done any of this without you. Since we started this project, we have worked with three different mayors, and it is a testament to this city that all three are here today and all have played an instrumental role in Bull Street's success. Mayors Kobel, Benjamin, and Rickman, thank you for your continued support and belief in Bull Street. There are first responders, contractors, engineers, architects, state house leaders, department of mental health leaders, university leaders, business leaders, and neighborhood leaders here today, all of whom stuck their necks out at different times and are continuing to play a pivotal role in the success of Bull Street. And there is family here today. Our family, Clacken's family, and our entire company is here who feel like family and have worked tirelessly to develop Bull Street over the last 10 years. And finally, Clacken properties specifically and their leaders, Hugh Shidle and Herb Coleman. We consider ourselves lucky every day that we were introduced to you guys nine years ago this month. You gave us your word on day one that you would do everything in your power to bring this building back to life. I don't believe anyone could have imagined the hurdles you had to clear to get here, but you have done it and it is spectacular. Thank you for your commitment to Bull Street and to Columbia. You've taken a building that was abandoned for 24 years and turned it into one of the coolest places to live in the entire southeast. And watching the cupola return to the top of the building in the next few weeks is a literal crowning achievement. We are proud to call you our partner, appreciate the friendship we have developed, and thank you for your desire to throw this wonderful event today. With that, it's my pleasure to introduce Hugh Shidle, partner at Clacken Properties, developer of the Babcock building and friend to the podium. Hugh. Thanks, Robert. On behalf of my business partner, Herb Coleman and the rest of the Clacken properties team, I'd like to add our welcome to those assembled here today. A group that we're calling the Friends of Babcock. As we approach the end of construction on this historic gem, the very visible restoration of the iconic cupola is a play in three acts. Act one occurred about two weeks ago when we raised the clear story. It sits on top of the roof, its windows let light into the structure, and it's the base of the dome. Today is act two where we bring together and recognize the hundreds of people that contributed to taking the Babcock from a long abandoned eyesore to a full-fledged contributor to Bull Street and by extension to Columbia. It took political leaders with vision to rally public support and fortitude to fight off the naysayers. We're excited to have many of those leaders here today. It took historians, architects, legislators, city managers, builders, engineers, craftsmen, investors, lenders, lawyers, storytellers. It took us all to pull this off. Today is our opportunity to thank you for your contribution and for us to show you what's been accomplished with that support. Just behind me sits the spire that will eventually be inserted into the dome. Today we're inviting those that contributed to this effort to sign the portion of the spire that will be protected by the dome. When you sign you'll be recording your mark on history. And finally act three of the play will be in the coming days when we place the signature red dome onto the clear story and insert the spire into the dome. On that day it's our hope that you'll take pride knowing that you played a role in restoring the skyline that for too long has been without its second dome and that you played your part in helping to resurrect and repurpose this magnificent structure. I'd like to make two special shout outs. First we want to acknowledge that we wouldn't be here today were it not for the heroic efforts of the Columbia Richland Fire Department. On September 12, 2020, 50 firefighters responded in the early morning hours to what I'm told was one of the largest fires in recent memory. They fought for hours to bring the fire into control and while the video of the fire was heartbreaking, led by Chief Aubrey Jenkins, their efforts saved the majority of the building, the vast majority of the building, and that was a critical element on our ability to move forward. Friends of Babcock please join me in thanking the firefighters from station one of the Columbia Richland Fire Department. We'd like to recognize the leadership of our partner and mentor in this project, Bob Hughes of Hughes Development. We went back recently and counted the number of days since the day we put the building under contract to the day we started construction, 1,705 days. For those not familiar with real estate transactions that's roughly equivalent to forever. During that four year period I called Bob on the phone dozens of times. I felt like he never let the phone ring twice. He seemed to always pick up on the first ring, eager for an update, and primed to offer his help. Unfortunately in lots of those calls I was delivering bad news about delays. One time I had to explain that the cost of restoring the nearly 1,300 windows in the building was just too high and we needed more time to figure that out. On another occasion I told him that the yield of the building was too low and we were going to need time for a redesign. Those calls had to be painful for Bob because delays at Babcock were postponing the full realization of Bull Street. But I never once heard a crossword from Bob. At key moments he did things for the project that we just couldn't have accomplished without him. When we had a problem that needed a legislative fix, Bob knew who to call. When we had to demonstrate community support for the project, Bob was able to get leaders at all levels of government to express the will of their constituents in support of the building. And I could go on and on. Most of all, Bob stuck with us. For almost all of the four years that we had the building under contract, while we were working hard to make a viable project, we just couldn't commit to getting the job done. Bob's enthusiasm and support never wavered. Bob Hughes has been the indispensable force behind this project. And Bob, I have one last favor to ask. Because I'm absolutely sure that the Friends of Babcock want to recognize your contribution leadership. Would you please stand and accept our thanks? Earlier I mentioned the value that storytellers have brought to the project. Truth be told, storytelling isn't one of clock and strings. Luckily, we've been able to partner with Historic Columbia for that piece of the puzzle. They've helped us communicate the building's story, celebrate its history where appropriate, and through building tours and other presentations, they've kept the community involved and engaged. To help us put this day in the context of the nearly 150-year history of the building, please welcome Robin Waits, Executive Director of Historic Columbia. Good morning. As y'all know, having had the opportunity to move across this campus, it features an important collection of interrelated buildings that provide insight into the lives of men and women and children dealing with mental illness, either as patients, caretakers, or family members. From the early 19th century through the end of the 20th century, their stories and the retention of historically significant buildings have driven Historic Columbia's preservation advocacy efforts throughout this site's redevelopment. In 2010, Bob Hughes and I began conversations about this redevelopment. We didn't see eye to eye on everything, but we were in full agreement on one thing. The rehabilitation of the Babcock Building would be central to the success of this effort. Standing among the most significant historic properties in the Capital City, the Babcock Building was conceived as part of a growing mental health campus envisioned in the early 1820s to improve facilities for the mentally ill. Once known as the Administration Building, the Babcock Building was built in four different stages. The structure was conceived as early as 1853 when the Asylum Regents and Superintendent lobbied the state legislature to meet the demands of the overcrowded Mills Asylum, which is behind you all. Land was purchased adjacent to the original asylum grounds in the building that today forms a part of the sprawling building's southern wing was begun in 1857 and completed one year later. And that's the wing that's farthest behind me here. Stymied by the Civil War and location of a Union prisoner of war camp on the property, work on the Babcock Building's adjacent four-story block began in 1870 and was completed in 1876. Construction of the north wing began four years later. Noted architect Gustavus Berg, who worked with John Nirensey on the South Carolina State House, designed this wing to mirror the southern structure in composition and detail. The Babcock Building's central portion was the last section to be built. It was begun in 1883 when funds were appropriated to complete the building. Pennsylvania native Samuel Sloan's design was intended to unify and focus this sprawling asylum to complete the scheme that was formulated in 1853. The central four-story portion of the building featured the red-capped cupola dome with its massive portico. The intent to create a focus point for the building was realized. But over the decades, as the city grew, this feature's significance extended beyond the campus. It became the focal point for those entering Columbia from the north and from the east. It became a character-defining feature for this community. I remember feeling a sense of despair the morning I learned from Mayor Benjamin that the Babcock was burning again. We all knew the terrible condition of the building that had been abandoned in 1996 and it suffered from demolition by neglect. We'd witnessed previous fires but none of this magnitude. I stood on site and watched the cupola collapse and thought all that historic Columbia had worked for over the last 15 years and so many others for much longer than that. In tandem with those who joined the efforts alongside Bob Hughes and Hughes Development in 2010 and most recently Clacken but all of that was lost. But I was wrong. This morning others will talk about the journey from that day to this one. I want to close just by noting the incredible actions from September of 2020 to today now becomes part of the historic record in a way that celebrates this community's commitment to historic preservation recognizes the value that these places bring to our city and county as a whole and confirms that historic sites even those especially those that seem impossible can once again become iconic references to our past and define our future. To those who fought from the first to make this happen Bob Hughes Steve Benjamin Robert Lewis and Chris Rogers and of course folks from Clacken. Congratulations on behalf of Historic Columbia and thank you. Thank you so much Robin and Hugh for those wonderful remarks. It is now my great pleasure to introduce to you the 45th mayor of the city of Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenman. Mayor Rickenman, oh I got a little bit, I'm a little intro for him. Mayor Rickenman moved to Columbia for college, fell in love and never left. He leads this city with a relentless pursuit for improvement and smart growth. We're honored to have him here today. Appreciate all he has done for this city and this district and welcome into the podium. Mayor Rickenman? Good morning everyone. I don't think we can start without talking a little bit of the history and I want to take a few minutes to recognize some folks as we start because we would be here today had Mayor Kobel not gotten together with the Chamber of Commerce and said we got to have a plan for this. And Mayor Kobel, thank you for starting it. Mayor Benjamin, thank you for fighting. Not everybody agreed and we can't say that we all love the structure at first but at the end of the day you fought through because you saw an opportunity that a lot of people didn't and we're a grateful city that you pursued it. So thank you. And of course our city staff, I'll be remissed if I didn't recognize Missy Gentry, Gregory Tucker, Jeff Palin, Kristen Hampton, Teresa Wilson those folks who will work in hand in hand with this project to make sure that we are here today. This is a monumental investment here in this community at Bull Street and as we're celebrating the cupola today there's two recognizable domes in our city. That's the State House and the cupola. And when that fire happened in 2020 I think everybody was really, it sunk in their heart because they saw an opportunity, they saw something change. And Fire Department, thank you guys for what you do. Thank you for, you have no idea what you did by saving this. What it does for our community and it bolts investment in our community. It's a Phoenix. This project is a Phoenix that's coming out of the ashes and it's so exciting to be here today but we wouldn't be here today if Bob Hughes and now Robert had not taken the reins and put the investment. Bob and I had some conversations we probably like to forget in the past but at the end of the day what we had was the same vision that we wanted the best for our community. It was so important that this iconic property turned into something that is a catalyst for this downtown area. Every conversation I have with Robert is incredible. We were just in Griebel meeting with a group last week about making sure that we can get them here into Columbia and what it was going to take to get them here because they're going to add another dimension to this project that's going to attract people from far and near to really enjoy these historic grounds but also take advantage of our ballpark, our parks, the restaurants that are coming but also a great living experience in our downtown. Bob will tell you seven cities have visited this site because it's become iconic across the nation. So I think that's an incredible statement not only to the development but to our community because we are Columbia, South Carolina. We are the capital city and we're your capital city. You know, it's exciting to see this after the cupola has been here for 150 years. We have an opportunity to see it rise up and take a participate in this process and we're so excited about that as a community. I haven't talked to anybody in our community that isn't excited to see this come out but also to see this building because this was one of the most probably challenging projects the Shidles and the Coleman's ever took on and we want to thank you on behalf of the 138,000 residents for taking this project on because I got to tell you I was in that building in 2006. Kevin Bacon was here and Kevin invited us to come and watch his filming and so we spent the evening in the Babcock building and even the crews were scared to walk around the corners. It was such a daunting and haunting and crazy experience and Councilman DeVall just said was telling me and I didn't even realize that when they left they actually left all of their staging equipment and everything in there they were such in a hurry to get out of this building because it was scary and now when you walk through we were able to take a tour think about a year ago kind of mid construction and see what was going on here and wow what an incredible turnaround and life that's being added to our downtown. So we want to continue to thank all our community partners. We want to thank Historic Columbia for being part of it but really want to thank you Eric for not giving up because those 1700 days were very painful days all with a price tag tied to it and a lot of people would have walked away a long time ago so thank you on behalf of our city. It is now my pleasure to introduce the former mayor of Columbia, Mayor Steve Benjamin who has been an advocate a fierce advocate for the city for this project. Left the mayor's office I guess now four years ago, two years ago, two years ago, four years ago it all goes so fast. Last year, last year. We miss you, we miss you. And is now working in Washington DC as special counsel to the president of the United States and director of the office of public engagement but he came back today because of his investment and commitment into this project and we welcome Steve Benjamin to the stage. Thank you. Initially I thought I'd get up here and be out of the sunlight. You were baking back here? I'm not sure how we got these seeds. Duval you're usually in charge of eclipses. What can you order one here today, councilman? It has been just over a year and a half. It feels like much longer than that. It's been so much time with Mayor Rickerman working on some national issues. It has been quite an adjustment working in Washington. Some of you have worked there in some pretty significant roles in the past. The biggest challenge is I've had to throw out by my entire speech book. You spend a lot of time in local government saying that change doesn't come from Washington, change comes to Washington. I had to throw it all out. I have to now sing from a different hymnal. So it's been a pleasure. It's been like I flew in late last night, gotten about midnight. I'll be leaving immediately after the ceremony. I came here honestly just to use the two most powerful words in the English language. They just thank you. Thank you to the extended Hughes family, not just Hughes development, but the entire family that has made this happen. Thank you to Clackin as the mayor said for sticking to it when it would have been incredibly easy to walk away and making sure that this iconic building that most people who are not from Columbia when they drive in off of 126, they think it's the state capital and they believe it's a center of the city and we indeed were pledging to try and make it again the center of a new city that were to preserve the beautiful historic canopy, these amazing buildings, were to install 21st century infrastructure, first gigabit city in South Carolina and do it against the odds of people telling us it couldn't be done and making sure that folks were able to see beyond what our eyes could see but have faith in this city, have faith in the men and women that I had the pleasure that Mayor Bob, that Daniel had the pleasure just from the position of the mayor's office to look at and see every day and realize that we have the talent in this city. We have the vision in this city. We have the ability to do some amazing things. I thought about Bull Street this earlier this week. I dropped an older start off at college for the first day. I did cry but walking the campus of historic Spelman College in Atlanta and climbing up and down three flights of stairs with no elevator in the heat. That's a whole nother story but I thought about this beautiful place and thought about quite frankly the journey that we'd taken when we first started the late nights, very late night debates as we worked side by side with the Hughes team to resolve exactly how we'd move forward in this. My girls were five years old and now we're here at the center of what is indeed the most significant downtown development, at least East of Mississippi. I mean, think about that, from not being able to get it done to now being highly successful as the mayor said, folks coming from all around to see a first class, I was Jason, I was in the state world class multi-purpose venue. See a wonderful baseball stadium to see the daily streams, to see preserved buildings and modern buildings complimenting it all and all coming together, to think about the sacrifices of so many who've gone on the glory right now. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my friend and former mayor pro tem, Brian DeQuincy Newman, who saw what was possible here on this campus. If I didn't mention my friend Ike McLeese who fought side by side and Carl with us to make sure again that we invest in our faith. If I didn't mention some of our neighborhood leaders like Ellen Cooper and Paul Bach Knight, some who are participants in that positive tension that exists in what is indeed the greatest democratic nation in the history of the world and two people, two good people equally you can see the same thing and see it very differently and still work to get something done. We've lost some of that across the country and I think this is an example of when you do things and you do it right, how we can all bear the fruits of our collective labors when we work together. So I just wanted to come here today. Chris and others will always tease me for being slightly hyperbolic in my professing the potential of Bull Street. But the reality is it was real. If you pick the right partners, if you invest in things that we ought to be investing and if you dream big about what's possible, if you assemble the very best team and I would tell you I'll put Team Columbia, the amazing men and women who work for this city over public administration officials anywhere in this country. If you do all those things and you doggedly pursue your goal, we can get things done. Bull Street is singular, but it's not the end. Columbia has even brighter futures ahead. Thank you, Bob and Robert, Team Clacken for inviting me. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, for graciously allowing me to participate as well. And Mr. Governor, it's always great to be with your brother. Robin, you know I love you. So thank you all so much. Thank you so much, Mayor Benjamin. It's now my pleasure to introduce the Richland County Council Chairman Overture Walker to the podium. Chairman Walker joined Richland County just four years ago and within two years rose to the role of chairman and he is leading Richland County through a period of truly unprecedented growth and we're honored to have him with us today. Chairman Walker. Well, good morning, everyone. It's an honor and a privilege to join you today on behalf of Richland County and my colleagues on Richland County Council as we celebrate the restoration of the historic Babcock Buildings cupola. And I would be remiss if I did not. I'll take a moment, just acknowledge members of the Richland County administration as well as council that are present this morning. I see Councilman Paul Limington who is my predecessor as chair of Richland County Council. Also we, our president this morning, our administrator, Mr. Leonardo Brown. And I see hiding at the back of the tent there our economic development director, Jeff Ruble who I will refer to affectionately as the silent and unsung architect of the Richland County Miracle in the area of economic development. That today's event marks a historic development that is transforming the skyline of Columbia right before our very eyes. But it is also a reminder that great things can happen when we trust in each other and commit to work together. More than 10 years ago, the city of Columbia approached the county seeking the sort of intergovernmental collaboration that could precipitate more quality, commercial developments and market rate housing so that we can better attract and retain young talent. The county listened and responded. We developed an incentive program that has led to nearly 20 high profile developments that are drawing residents downtown, building a strong tax base and eliminating blight. In fact, five student housing developments built from 2014 to 2019 represent the city's largest tax base. The results of the program are scattered across our community from Forest Acres to North Maine, from Olympia to Clemson Road and from the Vista to Five Points. Here at Bull Street, the Fountains at Bull Street is one of the largest mixed use downtown developments in the nation. Last October, council approved incentives for an $80 million development outside the left field of Segra Park. And earlier this year, we announced a $48 million mixed use development across Bull Street at the corner of Inwood. The project was nicknamed Urban Renewal and that code name or moniker is indicative of Richland County's aggressive approach to build it a better community, one block at a time. While there's still much work to do in the Bull Street district, the return of this cupola marks a milestone as our state, local and community leaders continue to make revitalization of this area a priority. Today, we commemorate a new cupola at the historic Babcock building, but through trust and continued collaboration, we hope to break more ground, cut more ribbons and celebrate more grand openings for many more years to come. Here at the Bull Street district. Thank you. Thank you so much, Chairman Walker. It's now my distinct honor to introduce the 117th governor of the state of South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster. It truly is hard to imagine a governor who could love our state more than Governor McMaster, who has done an incredible job balancing economic growth with the protection of our state's natural resources and historic buildings, just like the Babcock building behind me. Thank you, Governor, for your continued support of Bull Street. Thank you for what you're doing for our state, and welcome to the podium. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. I'll be brief. I don't know if I'm in the same boat with anybody else, but I had to look up how to spell, how to pronounce cupola for God here, but I grew up looking at it as a boy, and it was heartbroken when the building called on fire, and as been mentioned, the fire department was right on the scene, and one time, Chief Holbrook, you won't mind me saying this, but I asked Chief Aubrey Jenkins of the fire department, said, well, anytime there's a wreck or something, why is it that the fire department is always there, always have a fire truck there, no matter what it is. He says, that's because we always get there first. We're there before anybody else gets there. I think there's something like 37 different fire stations around the city, but it takes a group to get something like this to happen, but from my point of view, this feels almost like a family looking at so many familiar faces that have known for so long, and so many people have worked so hard to do these kind of things that we're doing today, and I wanna thank all of those for doing that. It occurred to me when several of the speakers were talking that South Carolina is different. We have a different history. We came out people, and it's always about the people. Our people came from, this microphone is messing up, can everybody hear okay? I'll do them a bit. We came from different places. The historian Walter Edgar says that back at the beginning, we came from I think is eight or nine European countries, something like 14 West African cultures and about somewhere between 25 and 41 American, Native Americans, sometimes called indigenous, indigent nations, we call them Indian nations, and the names of a lot of those people and those events that happen over our years are celebrated on signs and monuments and buildings as they are here. And that's proper, as Robin Waits said, we need to understand and know our history because it builds us strength for our future. And I can tell you our future right now, look from where I sit, it looks great. We had the best investment year, capital investment last year that we've ever had over $10.37 billion. That's twice as much as ever before. And we've been growing over the years and it is going to continue because we have the right attitude, we have the right vision, and we have the right people. General Mark Clark, who's a famous general in World War II, four-star general later, President of the Citadel told the Cadets down there in 1954, I believe, he said that there's more patriotism per square inch in South Carolina than any place in the world. And patriotism and family and our Judeo-Christian tradition, our military tradition, all of those things combined in a place that the early explorers called paradise to produce what we are seeing today. It's been a great, great history that has brought us to where we are. But this today, this today encapsulates and reflects those things that we think are important. Can you imagine for a moment, growing up in a town or a city, a visiting someplace where the street signs had no names, but only had numbers. And where the buildings had no names, but only had maybe letters of the alphabet. Go to First Street, Second Street, and then go to Building C. And all of them are brand new, crystal glass, hard steel, all of that. The grass is plastic, the trees are artificial, so the leaves wouldn't fall off. Can you imagine such a place as that? Well, that is not what we have. And what we have is reflected here. The Robert Mills Building, they call it, is the lunatic solemnist and scribe over the door, was the second such place in the United States, a mental health, a state-supported mental health institution. It was a blessing to people at the time and still is today. The first was in Virginia. The second was his and authorized by the legislature in 1821, and I think constructed between 23 and 25, and there it stands today, and it is glorious. The roads out there, crafts and fowler, those were the architects in the legislature and the house and the Senate for that building that got that done. This place, the Babcock Building, as I say, I grew up looking at that and was shocked when it was burning. But out here we have, we're celebrating the, oh, I can't wait to see what it looks like inside. I know it's magnificent, and we appreciate that work. Also, I'll tell you, a lot of people had their reputations at stake in supporting this project, but not everybody had their reputations and the money at stake, so Bob we certainly do appreciate. But that is, we're taking the old, we're celebrating the old, we're making it new again so it'll last longer. We have the trees, we have the grass, and we have the people. So this is really a good reflection of exactly what is happening in South Carolina. And it is for that reason that businesses all over the world, when they're investing hundreds of millions and billions of dollars, they wanna come to South Carolina. And we're working together to see that we continue to grow. All of us are working together to see that we continue to grow so that in the future, this will still be an even better place for the children of our state to live, work, grow, and raise a family. But I mentioned people, so I'll finish with some notes about one person, another Bob Hughes. Bob Hughes is a remarkable man. If you go downtown Greenwood, you see what he's participated in there. And now he's doing it here in Columbia. He's done it in other places, but that's not all. Besides his professional accomplishments, the great things that he's done there. He's also been a model citizen, working for Accelerate SC when we navigated our way successfully through the pandemic. He's also on the Board of Directors and former chairman of the Christ Church Episcopal School and also on the former on the Freeman University Board of Trustees, I guess you bilingual there, Bob. Worked with the ETV Endowment, participated with the Greenville Tech Foundation, the Greenville Hospital System, South Carolina's Governor's School for the Arts and Humanities, and many, many more things. He's received various awards. And this indicates the breadth and capacity of this man, the J. Vernon Smith Leadership Award, the Buck Michael Award for exemplary vision and leadership in the Charles Frazier Award. by the American Landscape Association for what he did the way he built Hilton Head. So this is a man of great capacity and we have a way to recognize those people. It's called the Order of the Palmetta and it's not something that anyone can ask for or you apply for or you can buy. It's something that people, most of your colleagues, people who've worked with you who know you have recommended you for. And we have a group that goes through a committee that goes through those recommendations, checks them and confirms that what is said is accurate, gets all the information as well, puts it all in and see if that stands up to this high expectations of our citizens who do not only great things for their families, but for the rest of us in South Carolina on a statewide or greater basis. And one of those certainly is Bob Hughes. So Bob, if you will come forward please and accept. This is the Order of the Palmetta and let me read State of South Carolina in grateful recognition of contributions and friendship to the State of South Carolina and her people. I do hereby confer upon Robert E. Hughes Jr. The Order of the Palmetta with all the rights and privileges appertaining there too. Signed by me, Henry D. McMaster, your proud happy governor. On behalf of 5.2 million proud happy South Carolinians, we proud of you and we thank you. Well, the last thing my family or the consultants want me to do is add lib. But I knew nothing about that, so I'm gonna add lib for a second. I sure do thank you governor. I mean, it's obviously an amazing honor. Obviously, I thank somebody for digging way back in my past and finding some of that stuff. And I want, you know, this whole thing's about thanking really everybody else. I want to thank your committee for not looking too deep. But it's been an amazing time and there's no way to thank everybody. I am gonna support little Mayor Benjamin. I should have put sunscreen on my bald spot. But anyway, it's just been great and this has been a great experience and it's been a great life and I've got a great family here. I thank them. Probably the word that nobody used but is contained in everything everybody said is stubbornness. Thank you, family, for putting up with that. So I think everybody here should just take a look around you. This is a big, big team. The friends of Babcock, as Hugh called it, Hugh and Herb, it was tough for me. But this big team has achieved not one but many things that everybody called impossible. All the speakers up here couldn't name everybody who was needed and everybody who pitched in and there are a thousand personal stories that would make this day possible and there's not time to tell all of those. But Governor McMaster's right. He wrote a key letter to one or more federal agencies. I don't remember which one's about the Babcock, about seeing the dome, about what it meant to you, about what it meant to Columbia, about what it meant to South Carolina. He made it personal and that's why we're here today. Babcock and the Bull Street District are personal to the city of Columbia and to Richland County. The dome and this project powerfully stand as an example of what a team with an unwavering commitment to a goal can accomplish. Almost 15 years ago we were approached about this unbelievable block of land that had been marketed for two years in 55 countries and had no takers. Few people outside Columbia thought that the decades of neglect and deterioration could be overcome. Impossible was the most frequent warning but your elected leaders and your community thought otherwise and convinced us otherwise. So our small team expanded by the believers in Columbia took on the impossible. As time went on we added more teammates and more supporters. Many are up here today, many, many more out there in the audience and many more couldn't be here. All of you had the audacity to dream big about developing one of the largest urban projects in America. There were a thousand or more ideas on how to do it and we worked through all of them. Everyone stayed united and kept the determination to get it done and all of you put your oars deep in the water and pulled. So creating something unique and special from ruins involves change and perseverance and commitment and belief and all of those things require courage. You showed that courage, you stuck by this vision. The Babcock is a microcosm of the entire Bull Street story and Clacken is the perfect example of a team that believed and was committed to the vision. And we all stand here today really as witnesses to that commitment, courage, vision and maybe a little stubbornness. So on behalf of the very large team, we thank you, Clacken, we thank you Columbia for all the support you've given Babcock and Bull Street. Keep the faith, keep the commitment, keep the courage and keep the ideas coming. New is different but new can be an improvement. Remember if you always do what you always did you'll always get what you always got. So we have something different here and you made it happen but no one is finished yet. Keep it up and thank you all so very much. That was very special and keeping that surprise from you was not easy but I do think when you saw all your grandchildren here, you might have been cute off. Well, Dad, you've dedicated your entire life to proving the lives of those around you. And I know that I'm a biased observer in this audience but I believe that it's beyond deserved and feel honored and like the luckiest person alive to be your son, your business partner, you're my mentor and my friend and thank you. Congratulations. And thank you all again to everyone here. Those are the two most powerful words in English language and they are very genuine from everyone on this stage. Thank you all for your attendance, for your belief, for your perseverance and we're greatly appreciative of everything that has been accomplished today. We're only eight years in to a 20 year project so imagine if we've accomplished this much in eight years what we'll accomplish as we finish. It's now time to sign the spire. What we really came here to do, put our mark on history. So at the end of this event, the group on stage will join me at the spire behind me and then Anna Kate Twitty will be up to direct the other groups. I believe most folks know the names of the groups or the numbers of the groups that they're in to sign. We'll sign, we'll take pictures, we will celebrate. Anyone who signed up for a tour, you can meet back at the sign up station and take a tour of the building. We welcome everyone to take a tour and enjoy what Clacken has accomplished here today. Thank you all again and look forward to the great rest of the day.