By RODNEY HART

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

HANNIBAL, Mo. -- A Florida couple had their bid approved Monday by a bankruptcy judge to buy the Rockcliffe Mansion at 1000 Bird Street.

James and Robin Gillette of Fountain, Fla., bid $710,000 for the 13,500-square-foot mansion. The Gillettes have made a $35,000 downpayment, but still must get financing approval.

The Gillettes previously declined to comment about specific plans for the historic house, built by J.J. Cruikshank at the turn of the 20th century. They did not return phone or e-mail messages to The Herald-Whig.

Rockcliffe owner Rick Rose filed for bankruptcy in April. In August, Ken and Lisa Marks of Maplewood made an offer of $700,000, but missed a Sept. 30 deadline to arrange financing. They are leasing the mansion until the end of November and could stay longer if the lease is extended.

The Markses had a "public rally" last week to show community support for keeping the mansion open for public tours. The Markses say will begin offering Christmas tours next week.

The closing date for the Gillettes is Jan. 15. The Florida couple have until Nov. 19 to complete a house inspection.

Ken Marks said his wife talked with the Gillettes last week, and they are not sure the Gillettes are interested in keeping the mansion open as a museum.

"Based on our conversations, and reading the paper and e-mails, we question whether the mansion will be open for regular daily tours, weddings and special events," Ken Marks said this morning.

Marks says he and his wife hope to stay in the mansion until the end of the year.

"Right now our options are limited. We're in a wait-and-see mode," he said.

In an e-mail to The Herald-Whig sent last week, Jim Gillette said "Rockcliffe is in a very bad state of repair" and initial estimates "suggest that the home requires more work in dollars than the purchase price."

Ken Marks says he had inspections done showing the building is "structurally sound."

"We believe the historical integrity of Rockcliffe could be compromised," Marks said. "Where we are talking about restoration, he (Gillette) is talking about renovation, and those are two vastly different avenues."

Beau Hicks, director of the Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, says the Gillettes have expressed an interest in buying Sawyer's Creek Fun Park, which is scheduled to go on the auction block Dec. 9.

-- rhart@whig.com/221-3370