By Howard Pousner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The news isn't as sweet and clear as the moonlight through the pines in "Georgia on My Mind," but the Georgia Music Hall of Fame at least has been given enough breathing room to continue operating through the end of the year.

This summer, the state authority board that oversees the Macon attraction imposed a deadline of Tuesday for the museum to raise $225,000 to address a budget shortfall or face possible closure. But late last month, the board decided to give executive director Lisa Love and other drive leaders and potential partners additional time to fund-raise and plan for the future. The seven-member authority just reset the meeting for Dec. 2 in Macon.

"We’ve got a lot of great synergy among the public and private sectors, and we're building partnerships and alliances to address the hall's short-term and longer-term needs," said Love, who declined to reveal how much has been raised. "I feel very positive. There's a lot of good energy right now."

Opened in 1996, the hall has been reeling from cuts in state funding and drops in revenues and attendance. A 2008 state audit showed that it generated about $1.3 million from 2004 to 2008, but spent more than $5.5 million. State funding during that period was more than $5.2 million, according to the audit, which also projected that the facility would require a serious spike in visitors -- from 27,075 in 2008 to 140,989 in 2012 -- to become self-sustaining.

Some political and musical industry leaders have suggested that the problem isn't with the museum's exhibits on Peach State music immortals such as Ray Charles, Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers Band, but with its location in Macon, just off I-16.

Count among them Fulton County Commissioner Robb Pitts, who had planned to attend today's board meeting in Macon before it was rescheduled. “There is no doubt that the Music Hall of Fame would have a better opportunity of continued existence in Atlanta-Fulton County,” Pitts said this summer, shortly after news of the museum's fiscal woes made headlines. “While Macon is a wonderful city and is the home of my family’s Adams Lounge and the Skyline Motel, it simply does not have the tourist draw that Atlanta has.”

The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau has taken no position on a possible move. Its role is marketing and providing other support for Atlanta's attractions, and campaigning for a move is "not something we'd get involved in," ACVB spokeswoman Lauren Jarrell said.

Regardless of interest from Atlanta, Love said a move is not being considered at the moment. "The Authority board has only discussed identifying a fiscal model to enable it to stay in Macon," she said.

There are some signs of support and promising prospects.

The Bibb County Commission, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert and area legislators support a Bibb hotel-motel tax increase, from 6 percent to 7 percent. That would raise about $400,000 that would be split among the Music Hall of Fame and two other Macon attractions, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the historic Douglass Theatre. The Georgia General Assembly is expected to vote on the tax increase next session.

While Love said big fund-raisers are being planned for next year, suggesting the music museum's lease on life may get extended into 2010, there have been a number of smaller benefits across the state led by musicians or musical entities. Macon's Bragg Jam festival contributed $5,000, the Big "O' Youth Educational Dream Foundation gave $3,500, and Music in Columbus donated $1,800 after an Oct. 9 benefit concert. B-52s' frontman has unleashed Fred Schneider's Kookies, treats for doggies in the shape of flying saucers, aliens and rockets. All proceeds benefit the hall, which expects to get its first shipment this week (they're also available at dixiedogwear.com).

The hall has added some 200 paid memberships since its plight went public.

Love also banks on Macon's growing momentum as a cultural tourism destination with the planned December opening of the Big House Museum,  a public archive of the Allman Brothers Band housing posters, photos, memorabilia and a deep archive of audio recordings and film footage inside a converted Vineville Historic District home that the Allman Brothers occupied starting in 1970.