Mayor Becker: Expect Announcement on Theatre in a Few Weeks

Apr 08, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

(KCPW News) Mayor Ralph Becker says Salt Lake City residents should expect an announcement in a few weeks about at least one location where a downtown Broadway-style theatre could end up.

"We are moving forward very quickly on identifying sites and how we're going to fund, and how we're going to deal with the performing arts community for our downtown Broadway theatre," he said. "I think you can expect to see an announcement within the next couple weeks on at least one site that has been secured, and we are talking with property owners on other sites, and identifying funding sources, and it's coming together very well."

Speaking yesterday on KCPW's Midday Metro, the mayor did not address any concerns he may have about Sandy unveiling plans for its own theatre.

But the mayor did say Salt Lake City will push forward with its plans before the county finishes its study regarding where the best place in the valley is for such a theatre, like Sandy is doing.

"With the history we've had now of 10 years saying, we're ready now for a downtown Broadway theatre in down Salt Lake, we're going to move ahead," said Becker. "If the county gets done with its work and we need to modify what we're planning to do and starting to do in Salt Lake City, we'll do that, but it was just time for us. The business community was ready to go; the arts community, the civic community was ready to go."

The mayor's brother, Tony Award-winning producer Bill Becker, is at the helm of the project as a volunteer.

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