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Palace Theater study shows resident support; council signals City backing to pursue grants
Summary
A consultant’s feasibility study found broad resident support to renovate the Palace Theater with a preliminary build-out cost of $2.4 million; councilors expressed openness to City participation (one councilor mentioned $1M) as staff pursues grant opportunities and a nonprofit management model.
A feasibility consultant told the City Council Feb. 5 that residents and civic leaders broadly support renovating the downtown Palace Theater and that City participation will be important to accessing state grants.
Main Street Director Tammy Joyce introduced consultant Steven Powell, who summarized results from a community survey of 679 respondents: 84.4% of residents favored renovation and roughly 52% supported public funding (an additional 34% said maybe, contingent on details). Powell outlined a base capital estimate of about $2.4 million (roughly $1.5 million construction, $250,000 furnishings, $300,000 soft costs and $375,000 contingency) and a six‑month pre‑opening stabilization budget of about $296,500. He recommended management by a nonprofit operator and said the City’s demonstrated local commitment — ownership or a pledged loan/grant agreement — would improve eligibility for state grant programs that prefer municipal ownership for capital awards.
Council members expressed enthusiasm and weighed funding approaches. Council Member JacQuez Johnson said he would be comfortable with a $1 million City investment to show commitment. City Manager Michael Brandt said most state grants prefer municipal ownership, but the City would not be expected to operate the venue; staff discussed structuring City financial participation as a loan with covenants ensuring nonprofit management. No formal motion was made; staff was directed to develop agreements with PACE, pursue state grants and return with recommended funding structures and memos for committee consideration.
The presentation also touched on complementary downtown projects including streetscape lighting upgrades and a temporary tree plan using decorative pots to allow future streetscape flexibility. Parks staff previewed PACE Park concepts emphasizing natural play elements, artificial turf for year‑round use and temporary barriers for ticketed events; staff recommended phasing and using fund balance for early work while pursuing grants for later phases.
