FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 18, 2008
SALT LAKE CITY – The first meeting of Salt Lake City’s Downtown Theater Action Group was held yesterday and members of the group announced. The newly formed Downtown Theater Action Group is being chaired by Bill Becker, a Tony award winning theater producer and an expert in theater management and development.
Mayor Becker has appointed the group to identify the ideal scenario for creating a grand theater in Salt Lake City, one that will support Broadway caliber productions. The group is comprised of a cross section of business, cultural and religious leaders who all of an interest in the fast moving downtown project. As the project evolves, Mayor Becker expects that additional community members will come forward who will be central to the planning process and be added to the group.
Members of the Downtown Theater Action Group currently include:
Bill Becker, Theatre Dreams
John Ballard, New Space Entertainment
Steve Boulay, New Space Entertainment
Scott Beck, Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau
Jim Wall, Deseret News Publishing Co.
Rem Patch, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Bob Farrington, Downtown Alliance
Vasillios Priskos, Internet Properties Inc.
Nancy Boskoff, Salt Lake Arts Council
Jill Remington Love, Salt Lake City Council
Prescott Muir, Prescott Muir Architects
DJ Baxter, Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency
Ellis Ivory, Deseret News Board
Pat Richards, Utah Symphony & Opera
Christopher McBeth, Utah Symphony & Opera
Jim Bradley, Salt Lake County Council
Natalie Gochnour, Salt Lake Chamber
Dr. Raymond Tymas-Jones, College of Fine Arts at the University of Utah
Rick Mortensen, Attorney
Lane Beattie, Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce
Johann Jacob, Ballet West
Melia Tourangeau, Utah Symphony & Opera
Patricia Richards, Wells Fargo Bank
Meg Holbrook, Zions Bank
Scott Anderson, Zions Bank
Denise Bégué, Ballet West
“Based on the initial conversations I have had with members of this group, I am extremely heartened that there is clearly strong support for any number of possible scenarios for establishing a grand theater in Salt Lake City,” remarked Bill Becker.
Mayor Becker added, “I have charged with group with a project that is of high priority to my administration. I am also expecting that they will move quickly to complete their work and bring the City a solid proposal for location and financing of the new grand theater. We are going to build a theater in downtown Salt Lake City and the work of this group is to figure out how.”
“We’re pleased to be a part of the process to consider this aspect of the future of Salt Lake City,” added Brother Rem Patch, Assistant Secretary to the Presiding Bishopric of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and one of the members of the group.
As the project moves forward, Mayor Becker expects that more members of the group will be added so that all voices in the community can be included in the planning process. The group plans to meet on a weekly basis and their meetings will be open to the public.