Support downtown theater

We like Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker's fresh thinking on the matter of placing a Broadway-style theater in Salt Lake City.

Downtown Salt Lake City is a sensible choice considering the amenities unique to the state's capital city. Moreover, one option contemplates the city purchasing the shuttered Utah Theater, which presents some intriguing possibilities in restoring an architectural treasure. A handful of locations remain under consideration.

Becker also has announced that a nationally recognized, Tony Award-winning expert in the field of theater development will oversee the city's plans to build the theater. The expert, Bill Becker, will work for free. (Bill Becker and Ralph Becker are brothers.) Bill Becker, of Park City, was formerly legal counsel to the Kennedy Center for the Arts in Washington, D.C. He also has experience in purchasing historic theaters, along with production and management of large theaters, including the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles and the Chicago Theater.

Bill Becker will oversee a team of community and business leaders who are studying potential locations, financing and theater size. The group will make recommendations to the Salt Lake City Council.

Developing a Broadway-style theater in Salt Lake City was proposed as a signature project of the Salt Lake Chamber and Downtown Alliance's "Downtown Rising" vision for the city's core. That document was released more than a year ago, although downtown officials have long envisioned such a theater as part of the city's cultural district. The project has had additional momentum under Mayor Becker.

The volunteer Mayor's Downtown Theater Action Group is expected to begin its work within weeks, moving toward the ultimate goal of building a Broadway-class theater in the state's capital city.

We look forward to progress reports of this working group with regards to this exciting proposal and thank Bill Becker for lending his considerable expertise to this ambitious undertaking at a very reasonable price: free.