That sounds a bit short-sighted to Ballard, who admits that currently Salt Lake theaters usually have empty seats. He uses this example: "Would you consider building an airport only so it runs at full capacity the week that it's built? No. Build for the future. The arts are growing here so much, in a few years it'll be jammed."

Weeks, who points out the venue can also be used for graduations and conventions, added, "We often don't fill the seats. But the theater with 2,000 people in it is fine. The shows that we do that we don't sell out, we do 60 percent capacity for two weeks. That's enough to get the bills paid. The shows that blow out, then you're able to generate enough revenues to cover up any shortfalls that you have within a season."

Theater location

Another debate is the location of a new theater.

Those asked by the Deseret Morning News, except for Sandy's Mayor Tom Dolan and the project developer, almost universally agreed — downtown is the place.

"Keep everything together," Weeks said. "It creates synergy. In Denver there are more people living downtown than ever before. The core city of Denver is extremely vibrant. And that comes from grouping all of your stuff, entertainment, sports, and keeping it in an area where you create friction and create critical mass."

Ballard agreed, "A concentration of performing arts venues is best for the community."

Dolan has been quoted as saying, "I think (a theater) would be a wonderful thing for the Sandy community and a good thing for the Wasatch Front."

Yet a majority of the theater-going Wasatch Front lives north of Sandy. Meaning that, in order to make a 7:30 p.m. curtain and have dinner beforehand, ticket holders would be traveling southbound on I-15 during rush hour. Downtown has the better infrastructure for handling large capacity crowds.

Denver's Finlaw added, "From a transportation and parking standpoint, it's really wonderful. And it supports restaurants, a night life and a vibrancy to the downtown area. The synergy of having all of these venues together creates a real boom."

There is another benefit to a cultural hub. "Good theater here allows people to become educated about theater," Finlaw said. "Those who become educated become experimental about other types of theater."

"The rising tide raises all boats," Weeks added.

Local folks, such as Sally Deitlein, vice president of Hale Centre Theatre, agree. "The main thing is, we've always felt that good theater begets good theater. If the theater is good, people tend to experiment and go back for more theater."

Arts dollar

Though always competing for the arts dollar, Salt Lake City, like Denver, is able to support a Broadway touring season, the Utah Symphony, Ballet West and Utah Opera Company, along with numerous other theater and dance companies along the Wasatch Front, and the population increases daily.

"Build it now. In a few years, it's going to cost twice as much," Weeks said. "As the Salt Lake City area grows, you'll be glad that you did. You need it now, you needed it 10 years ago."

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E-mail: ehansen@desnews.com