ASHEVILLE — The nonprofit that’s been raising money for the past decade to build a new performing arts center in the city has announced it is scaling back its effort.
“While we have received more than $5 million in cash and pledges from over 500donors, we will not move forward until the majority of funds for this ‘right-sized’ $30 million project have been secured,” the Asheville Area Center for the Performing Arts said in its newsletter.
In 2004, the organization began its formal push to build a new center to replace the aging U.S. Cellular Center and Thomas Wolfe Auditorium performance venues.
The group’s original fundraising target was $85 million. The proposal included a 2,100-seat performance hall, as well as a smaller hall for shows and rehearsals, as well as office and community space. Plans now call for a 1,750-seat hall with digital media arts center, multi-purpose room and education spaces, with a $30 million fundraising goal. The proposal is to build it just south of Pack Square Park.
Over the past several years, the organization had hired a design architect, acoustic designer and a host of consultants. The nonprofit was also paying its executive director, James Baudoin, a salary of more than $200,000 a year.
7 Comments
Does anyone know the answer to Asheville Artist’s question? Is James Baudoin still the paid executive director of this project?
What plans is the Symphony making if the Performance Center is not built for a decade?
Symphony Supporter, I’m still trying to reach someone from the group who can tell me. I’ve been told that Baudoin is stepping away from the job as e.d. for the group. I don’t know what plans the symphony is making.
Thank you for inquiring on this.
Is Baudoin still on salary?
Haven’t they been stalled at this “$5 million raised” level for several years now? How in the world can they justify continuing to pay two full-time staff year after year when there’s no real prospect of the thing being built any time soon?
So how much of that 5 million has gone to the executive director’s 200K annual salary and for how many years? Shoot, I’ll take that job
Looks like that would be 1 million of the 5 million raised. This project needs to be re-evaluated.