News Blog

The City of Rochester is surveying arts patrons regarding a possible new performing arts center downtown. The city is currently studying the feasibility and economic impact of a downtown PAC. Two sites are under consideration: the former Renaissance Square site at Main and Clinton, and the old Midtown site in the heart of downtown. 

The survey, which popped up in my home e-mail earlier today, asks which areas of the arts you're interested in, how many events you attend yearly, the average admission price per person, how many people went with you, how much time and money you spent in the city while you were there, what kinds of activities you'd expect a downtown PAC to offer, how much you'd expect to pay to attend these events, and other questions. It finishes with some demographic questions, including a question about your household income. 

The deadline to fill out the survey is March 30. 

Lincoln Center Global, the consulting arm of the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts in New York City, is doing the PAC study, along with Westlake Reed Leskosky, a Cleveland architectural firm. 

Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren has consistently advocated for an arts center downtown, and Rochester Broadway Theatre League is the likely candidate to program it. RBTL owns and operates the Auditorium Theatre on East Main Street, but that facility is no longer suitable, RBTL officials say. The sub-par performance space keeps Rochester from getting top-tier shows, they say.