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Winter Garden commission approves business plan to reopen Garden Theatre
Summary
The City Commission approved a presenting-focused business plan and authorized the city manager to begin operational steps, including seeking a third‑party management partner and assessing facility repairs, to reopen the historic Garden Theatre as a community venue.
The Winter Garden City Commission on Thursday approved a business plan to reopen the Garden Theatre and authorized the city manager to begin operational steps, including seeking a third‑party management partner and assessing renovation needs.
The plan, presented to the commission by city staff and a performing-arts consultant, recommends a presenting model with limited private rentals, a hybrid management approach shared between the city (through Parks & Recreation) and a third‑party operator, a program mix focused initially on concerts, movies, camps and classes, and a one-year contract structure with performance-based extensions.
Supporters said the model balances risk and staffing constraints. The plan notes the theatre opened in 1935 and that recent temporary holiday programming and a holiday opera provided lessons about the staffing and operational needs of a performing‑arts venue. The consultant Alana Friscus, identified in the presentation as an expert with more than 25 years in performing arts, advised the city on programming mix and management options.
“Plays for year 1 will not be part of the focus,” the presentation states, noting staff recommended postponing full-scale theatrical productions until year two to allow time for operational learning. The plan aims for a roughly 50/50 mix of contributed funding and earned revenue over time, with a near-term goal of breaking even and reinvesting occasional surpluses into the facility.
City staff recommended Parks & Recreation maintain programming priority and the city retain control of key dates while a third‑party manager curates and presents talent under an agreement. Staff said ticket pricing would likely range from about $25 to $75 for concerts and plays, and movie events could be priced as low as $5 for community showings.
After discussion about allowing local schools and churches to use the theatre in the first year, commissioners voted to approve the plan and authorize the city manager to implement the next operational steps toward reopening.
The commission’s action directs staff to pursue programming and operating requirements, seek a third‑party partner, assess and address renovation needs, and prepare for a reopening. A motion to approve carried unanimously.
