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The Claes Oldenburg sculpture 'Hat in Three Stages of Landing.' Image by Trish Triumpho Sullivan, http://www.destinationsalinas.com. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

Mayor wants to spend $160,000 to restore Oldenburg ‘Hats’

Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
The Claes Oldenburg sculpture 'Hat in Three Stages of Landing.' Image by Trish Triumpho Sullivan, http://www.destinationsalinas.com. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
The Claes Oldenburg sculpture ‘Hat in Three Stages of Landing.’ Image by Trish Triumpho Sullivan, http://www.destinationsalinas.com. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

SALINAS, Calif. (AP) – The outgoing mayor of a California central coast agriculture town wants the city to spend $160,000 to restore the three cowboy hats sculpture at the Salinas rodeo arena.

The Hat in Three Stages of Landing sculpture was a big deal when unveiled 30 years ago.

Bands played, Boy Scouts led a salute to the flag and the mayor presented world-renowned sculptor Claes Oldenburg with a commemorative salad bowl.

But the Los Angeles Times says the huge yellow hats have faded in the sun and they are pierced with dozens of holes.

Mayor Dennis Donohue says fixing the installation is a way resolve years of city neglect and put Salinas on the cultural map.

He’s convinced the investment will pay for itself by making Salinas a tourist destination.

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Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-11-12-12 1345GMT