City subsidy will keep Stage Center alive

3/30/2006
By John Sutter
The Oklahoman
http://newsok.com/article/1801392/

An award-winning arts complex with a history of financial and maintenance problems will lean on a city subsidy to stay in operation.

Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to help operate and maintain the Stage Center building downtown. The city expects to lose almost $184,000 a year on a lease, which lasts for at least five years.

Before the agreement, the Oklahoma City Arts Council operated Stage Center, a maze of block-shaped concrete buildings connected with steel walkways and located at 400 W Sheridan Ave.

The arts council, which owns the building, will pay the city $100,000 per year to maintain and operate the property. The city has the option to renew the contract for another five years when it ends in 2011.

City leaders said they are happy to subsidize the center so it can remain a vibrant piece of downtown culture.

"The reason it's worth it is because it gives everyone in the community a five-year opportunity to think of a long-term solution for the Stage Center," Ward 6 Councilwoman Ann Simank said. "The last thing our city needs is another empty building. We have a wonderful renaissance going on downtown."

Stage Center hosts numerous art festivals yearly and is home to the Carpenter Square Theater and Inner City Dance Institute, according to the arts council's Web site.

The center, designed by John M. Johansen and opened in 1970, received one of the country's highest architectural awards. But maintenance issues and financial woes have plagued the center almost since that time.

Vote on lease The building's history of changed ownership and major repairs concerned Ward 8 Councilman Pat Ryan, who asked council to defer a vote on the lease for a week.

"The building has got a troubled reputation for being a difficult building to maintain," Ryan said. "Before we enter into a long-term contract and assume the responsibility for maintaining it, I think we need to look into that a little bit further."

Under the agreement, the city pays for individual improvements to the building that cost less than $2,500. For repairs or improvements more expensive than that, the arts council will try to raise the money. The city may step in and cover costs, opt not to make the repair or could terminate the lease in that event.

The Oklahoma City Arts Council bought Stage Center in the 1980s and made about $2 million in improvements at the time, said Jim Tolbert, a member of the arts council's board.

It seemed to be the consensus of council and city staffers that repairs on that scale are not likely; and the city would not be forced to pay for any major updates.

Parks and Recreation Director Wendel Whisenhunt did not rule out for council that repairs up to $1 million could be needed at the center. He will compile a list of potential pitfalls after a round of inspections.

Ryan wanted to wait for that list before approving the lease. City staffers estimate it will cost about $482,000 per year to maintain Stage Center. Revenues in the form of ticket sales and lease payments will be deposited into the Oklahoma City Public Property Authority's account, but are not expected to cover costs.

The city's property authority will book all events, maintain the complex and pay for business operations.

Tolbert said the lease is the "ideal" of how public-private partnerships can work in the best interest of taxpaying citizens. He feels more comfortable now that the building has a "stable future."

"The building is a major asset to Oklahoma City architecturally, but most importantly, as a venue for performance," he said.