Jennifer Allen: Kansas cities value historic theaters

Arkansas City, Emporia, Hutchinson, McPherson and Salina have something in common. It is one thing Wichita does not have – a fully restored downtown historic theater.

These five Kansas communities understand the value and opportunity that exist in these historic theaters, both culturally and economically, when they are restored.

As witnessed in hundreds of other cities around the country, the restoration of a historic theater downtown is a catalyst for economic growth and development, linchpins to revitalization.

These projects are expensive, but often are funded by public or private money, or a combination of both.

The small town of Arkansas City is the most recent Kansas community to embark on the restoration of its downtown historic theater, the Burford Theatre, to the tune of $7 million. Funded completely by private donors and foundations, the restored theater will seat 700 and host a variety of community events and arts performances. Much like the Orpheum in Wichita, the Burford project has been in the works for more than 10 years.

Other communities such as Emporia, with its Granada Theatre, know that every $1 spent on historic preservation equals $6 of additional development surrounding the theater. These communities also know that for every $1 million spent on historic preservation, 23 jobs are created for the local economy.

When Emporia leaders initiated the Main Street revitalization project in 2008, the Granada Theatre was the primary anchor project used for further development. Their approach to development was based on Emporia’s core existing assets.

While great progress has been demonstrated downtown, Wichita’s core historic theater remains in need of complete restoration in order to fully realize its potential and its impact on our city.

Even in its partial state of restoration, the Orpheum plays an integral role in Wichita as a performing arts center and entertainment venue, serving more than 60,000 people annually with a wide array of events.

October is National Arts and Humanities Month, a coast-to-coast collective recognition of the importance of culture in America. In Wichita, the Orpheum is a cultural institution and historic landmark that represents the very fabric of our community.

Isn’t it time we made the restoration of the Orpheum Theatre a priority and accomplished what many other Kansas communities have already done?

This story was originally published October 20, 2015 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Jennifer Allen: Kansas cities value historic theaters."