FERRIDAY, La. – Opening the planned Louisiana Delta Music Museum may take a little longer than expected, according to Ferriday Chamber of Commerce officials.

Chamber officials had thought that the museum, to be located in a former post office building on Louisiana Avenue, might be open later this month, said chamber President De Rice.

But the opening has been delayed because the Museum Committee needs time to complete paperwork and submit it to the state’s Division of Administration, said Judith Bingham, who heads the committee.

&uot;There are some reports we’ve got to get in to Baton Rouge, and we’ve got to comply with their guidelines,&uot; Bingham said. That is because the facility will be a state museum operated by the Secretary of State’s Office. &uot;We have no definite (opening) date, but hopefully it will be open in late September,&uot;&160;Bingham said.

Many renovations have been made to the building in the last several months, including painting, restoring hardwood floors, replacing the facility’s back door, renovating restrooms and installing ramps for the disabled. &uot;The only thing we have left is installing the heating and air conditioning system,&uot; Bingham said.

Last month, the Ferriday Town Council voted to award a $10,867 bid to Comfort Systems of Jonesville for installing the heating and cooling system. As of Wednesday, Bingham did not know when that system would be installed.

Ferriday’s town museum has been located in a former bank branch building on North E.E. Wallace Boulevard ever since the museum opened in 1995.

It features exhibits on six Ferriday natives: musicians Jerry Lee Lewis, Mickey Gilley, and Leon &uot;Pee Wee Whittaker; evangelist Jimmy Swaggart, journalist Howard K. Smith and Ann Boyar Warner, wife of Jack L. Warner of Warner Brothers Studios.