ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s Municipal Auditorium, at 200 Civic Center Drive, is shown on Feb. 5, 2024. It was closed that month, after an assessment that got underway in January found “critical electrical and structural issues that require immediate attention,†Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin has said.
ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä’s Municipal Auditorium, at 200 Civic Center Drive, is shown on Feb. 5, 2024. It was closed that month, after an assessment that got underway in January found “critical electrical and structural issues that require immediate attention,†Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin has said.
ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Coliseum & Convention Center staff may have found a solution for acts that can no longer perform at the Municipal Auditorium after the venue closed abruptly last month for safety reasons.
Rock band Godsmack was initially slated to play in the Municipal Auditorium next week. Now, the Grand Hall at the Coliseum — location of the original Civic Center — will be turned into a concert venue that can hold over 2,000 people.
Patrick Leahy, general manager and director of booking for the Coliseum and Convention Center, told the venue’s board that costs for the change include an extra few thousand dollars for band catering — a gesture that “goes a long way†— and money on brackets that will be mounted permanently to the wall to hang drapes.
This way, the room can be used for other concerts if needed.
“We’re going to spend some money ... but it’s far better than the consequences of canceling the show,†Leahy told the board, which seemed supportive of his efforts.
Leahy is already working to relocate Jordan B. Peterson to the Grand Hall. Peterson is a conservative lecturer who was scheduled to appear at the Municipal Auditorium earlier this month.
The reconfiguration of the Grand Hall could also work for comedy acts and rock shows.
Leahy said he wanted to find a “thousand-seat rock room†in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
No decision has been made on whether the building will be rebuilt or just renovated. Board Vice Chair Andy Richardson pointed out the need of the building to become compliant with federal regulations for disability access.
“Right now, it’s a tough thing for someone that has disabilities to go to any event at the municipal auditorium,†he said.
Renovations would also have to account for changes in event programming.
“If it is going to be a renovation, it’s going to be a very major one that will allow for the modernization of programming and the functions of the facility,†Mishoe said.
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