(Rochester, N.Y.) – Rochester’s mayor is close to offering up the Midtown site as a location for a new performing arts center.
Robert Duffy said his first preference is still a renovation of the Auditorium Center. The Rochester Broadway Theater League claims it would cost $60 million to $100 million to expand the Auditorium, something the group has refused to consider. As his team performs its own assessment of the Auditorium, Duffy is formulating a back-up plan.
“My option would be Midtown,” said Duffy.
The city is tearing down the giant Main Street complex in the hopes of reviving downtown. The mayor said a theater would fit on the site, given the fact there is a parking garage and an underground tunnel to unload sets and equipment. Duffy also pointed out that the Midtown site was once studied as a theater location in the 90s.
“If there's going to be a new theater - I think that's a big if right now - we want to have it downtown, and I think that will be a great spot,” Duffy said.
PAETEC has committed to building a new headquarters on the Midtown site. A developer has agreed to convert Midtown Tower into luxury condominiums. A third or more of the site is available.
Duffy has been against a new theater, believing funding would never be raised. His insistence that a theater be left out of Renaissance Square helped to kill the project.
Duffy still believes funding will be an issue with any new theater project. Since the death of Renaissance Square, however, suburban towns and developers have lined up to build a new theater. Clinton Crossings, Canal Ponds Business Park, and Finger Lakes Gaming and Racetrack have made presentations to RBTL. The Town of Webster will make its pitch on Thursday, and Medley Centre will do so next week.
The mayor had said that if RBTL left the city, the city would still be home to Broadway shows. The mayor met with SMG, the managers of Blue Cross Arena, and asked if they would be willing to put on Broadway shows.
“We don't have the theatrical rigging to really put on sustained Broadway for the long term,” said the facility’s manager, Jeff Calkins.
“My number one preference is to have Broadway shows in the city. RBTL is a local group, love to have them,” said Duffy. “I will more formally suggest that if it's cost prohibitive with the renovation, I think one great opportunity would be the Midtown site.”
