FAYETTEVILLE — The Walton Arts Center does not plan to wait until it builds a new theater before it adds new venues for rock performances.
The center’s facilities committee unanimously decided to move forward with purchasing the 6-year-old Arkansas Music Pavilion.
“I think this does open it (Walton Arts Center) up to an entirely new group of folks that we’re not reaching right now,” said Hershey Garner, a member of center’s Facilities Committee.
But more than attracting a wider cross-section of center patrons, purchasing the 3,500-seat tented outdoor arena at the Northwest Arkansas Mall parking lot could spell more income for the arts center.
“We know that if we’re going to grow, if we’re going to expand our role in the region, we’ve got to increase our earned income,” said Tim Vogt, the center’s chief financial officer, to the committee Wednesday. Center officials would not comment on a purchase price for the pavilion, since this is still in negotiation.
Using a venue such as the AMP as a revenue generator is part of what Peter Lane, president and CEO of the center, calls “the rock pays for Bach model,” where popular arts help to finance fine arts.
By purchasing the pavilion from owners Suzie Stephens and Brian Crowne, the center intends to keep Crowne as talent booker and manager.
“The kind of talent that Brian is booking is an area that we don’t have a lot of experience in,” said Vogt. Crowne could not be immediately reached for comment Wednesday.
“Brian’s taken what is essentially a tent on a parking lot and he’s turned it into more than that,” Lane said.
If the full Walton Arts Center Council approves the purchase, the pavilion could be in Walton Arts Center ownership well before the next season which generally runs April to October, said Terri Trottrer, chief operating officer of the arts center. Following that, the center would like to invest about $1 million into improvements such as permanent restrooms, improved staging and backstage area as well as better seating.
“It’s contingent on us raising more money,” Lane said.