Proponents committed to culture block

Momentum for dedicating a block in downtown Salt Lake to the arts seems to be losing some steam, but its proponents are vowing to keep pushing for it.

Key to those continuing efforts is a new feasibility study that the Salt Lake Chamber/Downtown Alliance is backing to examine renovating the Utah Theatre "and some combination of additional new halls to serve the (Utah) symphony, the Pioneer Theatre (Company) and other regional organizations and presenters," according to a Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency report.

Thursday the RDA Board of Directors, which is the City Council acting as a review committee, will consider allocating $10,000 in taxpayer funds to help finance the the study, which costs $39,000. That allocation might not be rubber-stamped, RDA Board Chairman Eric Jergensen said, especially because there are new concerns over the culture block's key element — the renovation of the Utah Theatre, 148 S. Main.

RDA executive director Dave Oka noted three concerns in his report to be presented Thursday to the RDA Board.

First, "various property owners of the block (the Main Street block between 100 South and 200 South) have not agreed to the concept of the art block," Oka said.

Also, "other arts venues have voiced opposition to the concept" and "the proposed project could negatively affect some of the existing buildings on the site that presently represent a higher and better use," he said.

That "higher and better use" would likely be office space, which could generate more money as leased business property than allowing it to become the headquarters of a ballet troupe such as Ballet West or another arts company.

Additionally, Rick Howa, who owns the Utah Theatre, may be having doubts about renovation.

While Howa didn't return several calls for comment to the Deseret Morning News last week, he told the Salt Lake Tribune he didn't want to renovate his theater unless Clear Channel, the multibillion-dollar company that has offered to run the theater if civic leaders raise money for the renovation, was in charge of booking and programing events there.

That stance is in contrast with several arts groups, who want Salt Lake County in charge of programming if taxpayer funds are used to renovate the old theater.

And almost everyone agrees tax money will be needed if the estimated $68 million renovation is to happen.

All these concerns come as the notion of what exactly the culture block or district seems to be growing more ambiguous.