Council awards $150,000 in tourism funds toward Howell Theatre purchase and restoration

The Town of Smithfield council approved a $150,000 allocation from the town's tourism fund to help the Historic Smithfield Foundation secure a down payment for the purchase and restoration of the Howell Theatre.

Oliver Johnson, speaking on behalf of the Historic Smithfield Foundation, told the council the Howell Theatre closed as a movie theater after 90 years and was purchased by Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church on May 13. Johnson said the church offered to sell the property to the foundation if the foundation could come to terms for an alternate property for the church. "Our plans include restoring the theater to its original floor plan... we have a preliminary goal of about $1,800,000 that it's going to take for the purchase, restoration, and upfitting of the theater," Johnson said.

Johnson said the foundation intends to finance the purchase with a short-term loan from First Citizens Bank and a down payment of $300,000. He said the Robert P. Holding Foundation pledged a 2-for-1 challenge gift of $100,000 toward the down payment, which requires the foundation to raise a $200,000 match; the foundation reported $85,000 currently committed and said it seeks an additional $115,000 toward the down payment.

Council members raised questions about long-term operations, seating capacity and partnerships. Johnson said the restored auditorium would seat about 450 and that the foundation expects to partner with Neuse Little Theatre on programming, operations and fundraising. Joyce Kilpatrick Jordan, representing the Neuse Little Theatre board, said the groups would partner closely on shows and management.

Council member [name not specified on the record] moved to allocate $150,000 in tourism funds for the down payment and to ensure Newstville/Neuse Little Theatre has a home base in the facility; the motion was amended to include town representation on the foundation board and passed unanimously. The motion directs staff and the foundation to continue planning and to coordinate on any tourism-fund requirements.

Council and staff discussed potential additional funding sources, including county or state support and tourism-authority approvals; the manager noted approximately a million dollars remained in the town's occupancy-tax fund. Johnson said the foundation aims to run a three-year fundraising campaign and begin improvements and use of the building within that period, with a likely two- to three-year full renovation timeline.

The council's approval is for tourism-fund support toward the foundation's down payment; the foundation will remain responsible for long-term fundraising, operations planning, and any construction and programming decisions unless otherwise negotiated in future agreements.