Over the weekend there was plenty of chatter in the DTSF gossip circles that the State Theater may finally get one last infusion of of money to finish the project. Rough estimates would tell me that the State probably needs between 2.5 – 4 Million to finish the project, but I haven’t been following that close enough to know.
I have my guesses of who would be willing to put up that money. But the bigger question is the city involved in some way? The State has gotten small donations in the past from the city, but nothing close to a million.
My guess is it will be a private donation, if it happens at all. Not sure if the public has the appetite to give tax dollars of significant proportion to the private project.
While I would like to see the State open already, I also would like it to stay a private non-profit with little to no corporate or city funding. But desperation has a way of rearing it’s ugly head. The ‘State of Denny’ does have kind of a nice ring to it 🙂
I think the County Historical Society should place a historical marker in front of the State Theater noting the history of attempting to restore the Theater itself.
#RestorationMakingHistory
the state theater and crazy horse monument are on pace to finish at the same time.
Don’t be so hard on Crazy Horse.
Why not sell stars and handprints on the sidewalk in front for donations of 100k or more? There’s a theater in Atlanta that runs ‘Gone With The Wind’ for all showtimes. How about ‘Dances With Wolves’ for the State?
Pull the money from Jim Sideras’s pension each month and put it into the State Theatre😎
They should have just cut him a check for his vested pension and told him to be on his way. With all his decorated military service he can go to the VA for medical care. I’m trying to be silent on the issue, because every time I think about the deal his lawyer cut at the expense of others I get furious.
Joe from DTSF spoke at Downtown Rotary last week and I asked him about the state theater specifically. His response was that they were in the process of talking to larger individual donors, but he didn’t have anything they could share yet. Also said they’d probably focus less on public events as a fundraising strategy because they’re a lot of work the amount of money they bring in.
If anyone wants to watch his answer, the video is here https://www.facebook.com/siouxfallsdowntownrotary/videos/2264328657116184/. Fast forward to about minute 41.
No Tax Dollars should be invested in the State Theatre.
Take a look at the roads all over this town, and you will have the reason why.
Have you noticed how the wood on the doors to the entrance of the Theater are pealing? So now, the restoration needs to be restored.
#RevisionistRestoration
As this has been a long and drawn-out process certain required city code provisions of building and fire code remain to be done. Specifically, the smoke and heat venting requirements for the stage area has NOT been addressed at all. Smoke and heat venting for the stage was one (of many) specific requirements for the initial construction of the building. Those requirements, almost in their entirety, came from a large-life-loss incident in an early “fire-proof” building:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjdrO7mlP_gAhURo4MKHUUaD9kQFjAAegQICxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIroquois_Theatre_fire&usg=AOvVaw045F1SukPJy9RWol_bySff
As the “State” was constructed well after the Iroquoi Theatre fire, this building did have that provision installed as smoke and heat venting was in place; over the years they had fallen into disrepair and had been removed and openings boarded over. If this facility will be used similar to the Orpheum with staged productions, it will be a shame to place the audience in a non-complying, re. dangerous, facility.
If nothing else the link will provide the reader with an idea of how codes come about.
That’s the least of their worries. I guess the back wall is in really bad shape and needs to be repaired ASAP.
I also heard they are looking at $6 million to finish the facility, this is what they are looking for;
3.5 Million from individual private donor
1.5 Million from City (taxpayers)
1 Million from their own Capital campaign
I heard an announcement will be made by the end of the week. Unless someone is pulling my chain.
I have always wondered if greater powers to be in this town are responsible for the State Theater restoration having never been completed yet. Because the City already has trouble making the Pavilion and the Orpheum work out financially, so they probably do not want an other competitor. But notice how the facade was completed, because that complements the one thing that the City and the “powers to be” probably wanted, which was a nice facade that would be a part of a quaint Phillips Avenue.
#ImageTrumpsSubstance
#TheStateOfHowThingsAre
Okay, this is my last comment on this. This whole State Theater thing and its restoration, and its never ending restoration, just fascinates me. I knew someone, who was working on this project back in 1993, so that makes the restoration itself an antique. But it seems to me that it is time to take a lesson from history, like the Vietman War, and just pull out and claim victory. I think the Theater restorers should just proclaim the restoration is completed, put some folding chairs in there and start showing some movie greats like from Tea Time Movies….. Oh, and remember, Mt. Rushmore isn’t finished either, but don’t tell a tourist that, who might be a moviegoer, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKY8A8UZoXI
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