When the Rhythm and Blues Foundation moved to Philadelphia in 2005, local media hailed plans for a proposed hall of fame museum and music corridor that foundation officials said would be built here in "two or three years."

Well, it's 2009, and the proposed retail space, residential units, concert hall and music academy that would accompany the hall of fame along the Avenue of the Arts are nowhere to be found.

And the whole concept might end up in Atlanta.

Kenny Gamble, a chief proponent of the idea, said Monday that the foundation has talked with Atlanta officials about taking the project down South and they are "interested in it," he said.

But when pressed about moving the concept he has long proposed for his hometown to another city, Gamble said, "I hope not."

The 2008 financial collapse coupled with the city's subsequent economic troubles have "stymied" the foundation's efforts to turn this vision into a reality, said Gamble, secretary of the foundation's board and a city mover-and-shaker.

"A good idea can survive economic challenges," he said. "When you build something from the ground up, it's a monumental challenge even in the best of times. This is no easy task."

City Hall is behind the idea of a Philly home to R&B, but the timing couldn't be worse.

"The city would be very supportive of this happening [the National R&B Center], but this is a hard economic climate to move forward with these large-scale projects," said Maura Kennedy, a spokeswoman in the mayor's office.

But the groundwork for a more concrete plan was far from realization before the economic meltdown.

A 2006 economic-impact study by Philly-based Econsult Corp., funded by a $100,000 grant from the city Commerce Department, estimated that $200 million in private and public money would be needed over three to nine years for the project.

Once completed, the National R&B Center would generate nearly $53 million yearly for the city and $72 million per year for the state, according to the report.

"There is economic return in the project," Gamble said. Citing the study, he added: "Philadelphia is in a position to be the home of R&B, we can brand Philadelphia as the home of R&B."