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HomeMy WebLinkAboutminutes.wtf.19771014 RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 100 Leaves A meeting of the Wheeler Task Force was held in the Council Chambers of City Hall on October 14, 1977 at 4:15. Those members present were John Doremus, Bob Klineman, Rob Jacklin~ Michael Price, John Stanford, King Woodward, Tom Ward, Pat Tierney, and Howie Mallory. Also present were members of City Council, Marty Hershey, Nina Johnston and staff members Harold Stalf, Mick Mahoney, and Lois Butterbaugh. Mr. Michael Price is present at this meeting to give an evaluation of his research on the Wheeler Opera House. He is here at the request of City Council to give an objective view of the planning done through this subcommittee to date. Stanford acted as spokesman for the committee explaining the background of %he planning and the concept of using the Wheeler as a Performing Arts Center vs. a completley new facility. Also, the review of the similarities and differences between the Good Speed and the Wheeler. Mr. Price's facility in East Haddam, Connecticut is named the G~odspeed~ He will also address the economics; how can an opera house smaller and with fewer seats operate in the black. Potential approaches to developing a successful performing arts facility and restoring the Wheeler will be addressed in conjunction with the proposal made by the MAA. Mr. Price has also founded the League of Historic _American Theatres and is involved and aware of a number of restorations around the country. Mr. Price began his presentation by giving the group the basics on his background and East Haddam, Connecticut. This is a town of about 4,000 people, with similar stru- ctures and potential. The opera house called the Good= ~pee~ is a focus in this community. During the period of time that this opera house was being restored they did not. know whether it was going to turn out to be a successful venture or not. Their capacity in the opera house is 375 seats, and services a large flow of people because it is one of the only attractions in East Haddam. He feels that because of the success of the theatre, the number of four star restaurants has increased in the immediate area surrounding the theatre. He feels that here in Aspen we have the potential for developing a longer theatre season due to the continuous influx of people. The ~Goo~dsueed has been operating ~n the black for s~x years. This has been modest, between~0, and $70,000 per year. They have had grants from the National Endowment, Arts Commission and various grants organizations. He further explained that regardless of the "show" side of the theatre, it is definitely a business, it must be run on a tight budget and managed on a moderate basis with each purchase approved the same as any other industry. The comptroller is very strict with the budget. They are installing a computer in the near future to handle various aspects of the financial operation. They run about 3200 people a week through the theatre, but they try to maintain a one-to-one relationship with their patrons by letters, addressed hand bills, etc. Their unearned income has been rising each year, the earned income has been rising, and so have costs. They have also been spending more money. They are doing more things in-house. But, he pointed out that they realize they can only gross so much at the box office, and they can only anticipate so much in revenues. Therefore, only so much can be spent. They have always budgeted below the an- ticipated income. He explained in detail the idea of timing, and pricing. If you find people attend matinees more because of convenience, raise the price. Also schedule performances around the people in the community and when you will be most likely to attract the most people. Matinees attract people and they don't come for lower prices but for convenience. Get a feel of the market, keep a good record of attendance and other pertinent facts. He feels the smallness of their house is their asset. If you are selling out 375 seats and turning people away, you are raising the value of your tickets. Group Discounts were eliminated for this reason, and season ticket discount of 10% was also eliminated. He feels ~his raises the value of the tickets. They have a "foundation" membership that forms the base for many other things in the theatre. They run a tour to London each year, costing $750 for two weeks. They limit the number of people and return any checks or applications over the limit. Mr. Price began to compare the Wheeler and the Goodspeed , which he feels are very similar. He feels the Wheeler is in much better shape than the Good Speed was when they began their renovation project. He does feel, however, that safety must be one of the primary concerns, especially having a third floor theatre. He went over some of the floor plan of the ~oodspeed~_~including the second floor wardrobe space and four dressing rooms, a green room and rest rooms. The main floor has boxoffice, ~ress and publicity offices, managers and bookkeepers offices, a bar, and all the proceeds from these businesses go directly to the Good Speed. There are a number of arts licenses in Connecticut that have to be obtained. In the basement area there is rehearsal studio space and mechanical equipment. They allow smoking on the main floor only. They charge $1.50 per seat, $150 per day forrehearsal space and S5-$600 an evening for a regular performance. They run tours of the building on Mondays ands how slide shows of the renovation project and the progress of the building itself. This helps add the "personal .... one-to-one" feeling when the people come to know the building and its background. In 1959 two people an the Haddam community started a drive to save the building from demolition. They founded the GO~dsp~e~ Oper~ Hou%e Foundation. This is a non-profit organization With 501 C-3 Incc~e Tax~ta~s.that, began raisi~g funds for the restoration. He discussea different ways money was raised by this group, such as having a lathesale, a bake sale, their thrift shop made $12,000 a year, musicales, dances, and all the seats in the theatre were sold as was the elevator. An organization was formed around this fund raising group with established by-laws and articles. Thev spent $627,000 for restoration~?furnitur~ and fixtures ran' $94,000. This was done in 1963. They cohtinued to search out different financial sources, including borrowing $140,000 to buy and renovate the restaurant next door to the theatre. In 1966 they formed a Board of Trustees to administer this restaurant and it now nets a quarter- million dollars a year. The Board of Trustees is formed of about 27 members which constitute a cross-section of the community, and throughout the state of Connecticut. The control of the Opera House however did not leave the community, and Mr. Price pointed out that this fact is very important. The Wheeler should be approached from within the community and the restor- ation should come from within the community. .The fact that it is a munfciPatLyowned facility ~opens~uPi~ a lot of doors as to~{~ financia'l sources. Feasibility study grants can be given through the U. S. Department of Commerce, Louise Wierner's office. There are public funds available~ EDA has funds that can be tapped for the preliminary study RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS 100 Leaves as does the National Endowment for Arts. Jenifer 'Carr as Grants coordinator should help ferret out these sources. However, Price pointed out that even though this is a City owned building, the operation of this Opera House should be delegated to a ~on-profit board with representation appointed by City Council and the Mayor, and representation by someone possibly appointed by the Governor. This will keep the board responsible. Bob Klineman discussed the restrictions on the type of productions this Opera House could have because of the limited space, but Price feels that the limitations are no~ that great. Even a thirty piece orchestra could fit which is a pretty good size. But the potential for small dance companies and small orchestras is well worth the restoration of the facility. He thinks the MAA could well use that facility. He feels the proposal by the ~AA is very generous, but he would hate to see the control of the facility plus the potential income from rental of space not be returned into the facility. The control should remain with the Community Board. The restoration can be approached through non-profit organizations in conjunction with the MAA proposal. If the MAA is willing to come forth and would like assurance that the building could be used by them for a number of years Price proposes that: the MAA be guaranteed 50 nites or days a year in house, at $150 dollars a day for rehearsals, and $600 dollars a day (nite) for performance compounded by 7% each year for 19 or 20 years. At the end of twenty years, at 50 nites a year they will have used up their proposed 1/2 million dollars in advance ~oyalties. They would then have guar- anteed use of the.spac~,their contribution would, of course, aid the Opera House. That type of mix could push the project into reality and at the same time satisfy the relationship between the MAA and the City. He would like to see the commercial space rented out and even the non- profit organizations can contribute something to the building for the use of the space. As long as you are going to have to rewire the building, and since everyone is concerned about energy, he recommended each space being metered, and that way each organization would cover their own utility costs. He thinks a bar and restaurant would be very profitable in that area, but doesn't understand a cafa~eria operation; that is too~mite~' a' use - of that space that could be made very profitable. He discussed ticket sales, for which they charge from $6 to ~10. He also discussed the control of the Good spee~ / that almost made it go broke in 1968. It was controlled at that time by equestrians who "literally blew ea-ch others brains out". They got a loan for $50,000 and started out with himself, two secretaries and a maintenance man. They slowly began to bring the operation back up, and in the second year of operation they had a~$3,000 surplus. They do three musicals a year. The last production of "Annie" ran eight weeks and they get 1% of the gross amount and 5% of the net profits. They get 8% per week from some of the subsidiaries. He discussed how this project can begin, and stated that you really have to begin to look at forming an organization negotiating it out with the City Council. Form by laws for the co~ittee which should have repesentation from the municipality and then begin to work out budget and other technical points. Obtain funds to help with the study, lay it out, use this as a fund raising tool and involve the co,unity. It will not happen overnight, it will be D long process and it will take a lot of work. The ~~cle~s of this co~ittee that is going to be formed will be somewhat like ~ task force. He pointed out the major favorable points: 1) you have a prime tenant 2) you have interest and all of these can be blended into a cohesive and very feasible plan. A Charter Board is the secret of this Opera House's success. It is the controlling board beyond the Board of Trustees. The meeting adjourned.