August 2016 Chateau Theatre Reuse Study: Needs...

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Chateau Theatre Reuse Study: Needs

Assessment

August 2016

The City of Rochester

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Webb Management Services Inc.

✲  Webb Management Services, Inc. is a management consulting practice for the development and operation of performing arts facilities. We work for

governments, schools, developers, and arts organizations on facility feasibility,

business planning, and strategic planning. Our practice was founded in 1997,

and we recently started our 370th assignment.

✲  Duncan Webb authored Running Theaters in 2005, a best practices guide to the operation of multi-user performing arts facilities in North America. Since 2014,

he has been a regular contributor to the Clyde Fitch Report.

✲  Our staff all have a combination of business training and professional

experience working in the performing arts sector.

Webb Management Services

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✲  Rochester’s Chateau Theatre opened in 1927. An atmospheric theater, the building’s interior was designed to look like a 15th

century French village, complete with a starry night sky overhead. Originally, the 1,500-seat venue was used for vaudeville

performances, live theatre, and film and, at one point, even hosted a 3,500 pound rhino in a production of Tarzan. Like most

facilities of its kind, the Chateau’s live performances eventually gave way to film.

✲  Following years of operation as a film house, the Chateau closed in 1983 with a final screening of Star Wars. After that, an

attempt was made by a private developer to purchase the theater. The attempt, however, was unsuccessful, and the Chateau

sat empty for a decade afterwards.

✲  In 1993, Barnes and Noble purchased the facility, opening it as a bookstore in 1994. It remained as such until 2014.

✲  In 2015, the City of Rochester committed to buying the building for $6 million. Mayo Clinic contributed $500,000 to the

purchase.

✲  Now, as the City plans for the future of Rochester and works towards the development of the Destination Medical Center,

Webb Management Services has been hired to assess the feasibility of rehabilitating the Chateau Theatre. To complete this

brief we have:

✲  Interviewed a cross-section of cultural, political, and community leaders;

✲  Toured local and regional cultural facilities;

✲  Studied the size and characteristics of the market area;

✲  Developed and evaluated detailed inventories of performance facilities, film facilities, and meeting and event spaces;

✲  Assessed internal and external demand for performance space; and,

✲  Identified the potential benefits and impacts that an animated Chateau Theatre could have on the city and the region.

✲  Our partners on this project are Miller Dunwiddie Architecture and Schuler Shook Theatre Planning + Lighting Design, both

based in Minneapolis.

Study brief + background

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Study informants

✲  Aaron Reeves, City of Rochester

✲  Al Mannino, Mannino Marketing Group

✲  Anantha Kollengode, Rochester Vidhyalaya

✲  Ardell Brede, City of Rochester

✲  Bari Amadio, Greater Rochester Arts + Cultural Trust

✲  Belita Schinlder, Paramount Theater Austin

✲  Ben Hain, Rochester Community College

✲  Bill Schnell, Theatre du Jour

✲  Bonnie Schock, Sheldon Theater

✲  Brad Jones, Rochester Convention + Visitors Bureau

✲  Bruce Dahlstrom, Hers Women’s Clothing

✲  Carol Berteotti, Riverside Concerts

✲  Carol Bitton, Counterpoint

✲  Chancellor Stephen Lehmkuhle, University of Minnesota-Rochester

✲  Chrisanne Pieper, Rochester Community Education

✲  Chuck Blattner, Rochester Concert Band + Choir

✲  Daniel Blake, Blake Ballet

✲  David Beale, Blogger

✲  David Driscoll, Northland Words

✲  David Silker, Mayo Civic Center

✲  Debi Neville, Rochester Arts + Culture Collaborative

✲  Dee Sabol, Diversity Council

✲  Donna Drews, Mayo Civic Center

✲  Doug Holton, Mayo Clinic

✲  Doug Scholz-Carlson, Great River Shakespeare Festival

✲  E. Christine Schultz, City of Rochester Historic Preservation Commission

✲  Ed Hruska, City of Rochester

✲  Ellen Huston, Choreographer

✲  Gregory Stavrou, Rochester Civic Theatre

✲  Hal Copp, Commonweal Theatre

✲  Heather Acerro, Rochester Public Library

✲  Jacob Malwitz, Mayo Clinic

✲  James Fricker, Rochester Arts + Culture Collaborative

✲  Jane Bisel, Blue Planet Museum Consulting

✲  Jayne Rothschild, Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota

To complete this study, we have spoken to 74 individuals in a series of confidential in-person and telephone interviews

and small group meetings. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the interview participants to date.

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Study informants

✲  Jeff Allman, Allman + Associates, Inc.

✲  Jeff Jurewicz, C4

✲  Jenna Bowman, Rochester Downtown Alliance

✲  Jenny Knoebel, Paramount Theater Austin

✲  Jere Lantz, Rochester Symphony Orchestra + Chorale

✲  Johanna Rhian, Mayo Clinic

✲  John Kruesel, Heritage Conservancy Group

✲  Jose Rivas, CRW Architecture + Design Group

✲  Kevin Lund, Heritage Conservancy Group

✲  Kim Edson, Rochester Public Library

✲  Kim Sin, Rochester Arts + Culture Collaborative

✲  Kolloh Nimley, Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage

✲  Lisa Clark, Destination Medical Center

✲  Lisa Mullenbach, City of Rochester

✲  Mark Bilderback, City of Rochester

✲  Mark Hickey, City of Rochester

✲  Mark Steege, University Square/Titan Ventures

✲  Marv Mitchell, Mayo Clinic

✲  Mary Ellen Landwehr, Rochester Arts + Culture Collaborative

✲  Mary Jo Briggs, Rochester Civic Music Board

✲  Megan Johnston, Rochester Art Center

✲  Michael Wojcik, City of Rochester

✲  Mike Kalmbach, Rochester MN Writers

✲  Nancy Slocumb, Community Member

✲  Nick Campion, City of Rochester

✲  Pam Whitfield, Northland Words

✲  Patrick Seeb, Destination Medical Center

✲  Patty Arndt, Lourdes High School

✲  Paul Menard, Lourdes High School

✲  Dr. Paul Scanlon, Mayo Clinic

✲  Randy Staver, City of Rochester

✲  Rashid Fehmi, CPA

✲  Rick Kvam, Choral Arts Ensemble

✲  Robin Pearson, Southeast Minnesota Arts Council

✲  Rochester International Film Group

✲  Scott Kruse, Swing Street

✲  Stephen Troutmen, Rochester Arts + Culture Collaborative

✲  Stevan Kvenvold, City of Rochester

✲  Steven Schmidt, City of Rochester

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Mayo Clinic

✲  Mayo Clinic was established in Rochester in 1889. Over the last 127 years, the facility has grown to become one of the

premier health services providers in the world. Just recently, in fact, Mayo Clinic was ranked first in the nation in eight

specialties by U.S. News + World Report for 2016-2017.

✲  Today, Mayo Clinic has campuses in Arizona and Florida and operates the Mayo Clinic Health System, a network of clinics and

hospitals serving 70+ communities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Georgia.

✲  In total, Mayo has 64,000 personnel, and, in 2015, provided direct care to more than 1.3 million people representing 140

different countries.

✲  In addition to health services, Mayo contributes to the advancement of medicine through research and education.

✲  More than $9.6 billion of economic impact is generated by Mayo in the State of Minnesota annually.

Project context: mayo clinic

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Destination Medical Center

✲  The Destination Medical Center (DMC) is a public-private partnership between Mayo Clinic, the City of Rochester, Olmsted

County, the State of Minnesota, and other private developers.

✲  It is a 20-year economic development initiative aimed at “positioning Rochester as the world’s premiere destination for

health and wellness.”

✲  The project has five primary goals:

1.  Comprehensive Strategic Plan: Create a comprehensive strategic plan with a compelling vision that harnesses the

energy and creativity of the entire region.

2.  Attract Private Investment: Leverage public investments to attract more than $5 billion in private investments to

Rochester.

3.  Create Jobs: Create approximately 35,000 to 45,000 new jobs, with workforce development strategies that support

growth.

4.  Generate Additional Net Tax Revenue: Generate approximately $7.5 to $8.0 billion in new tax revenue over 35 years.

5.  Become a Destination for Health + Wellness: Achieve the highest quality patient, visitor, and community member

experiences both now and in the future.

✲  As part of the plan, eight “core areas” have been identified, one of which is Arts, Culture, and Entertainment.

✲  In addition, the DMC has been divided into six developmental sub-districts, each meant to activate the DMC through a

particular focus. The ‘Heart of the City’ is the anchor district, representing the center of Rochester where Mayo, commercial,

retail, and residential meet. The Chateau Theatre is located within this district, as can be seen on the following slide.

Context: destination medical center

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Context: destination medical center

Chateau Theatre

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Arts + Culture in Rochester

✲  The City of Rochester has an active and lively, but segmented, arts community.

✲  On one hand, the city has a number of well-established organizations and institutions with long legacies in the community—

entities like the Rochester Concert Band and Chorus, the Rochester Symphony Orchestra and Chorale, Rochester Art Center,

and Rochester Civic Theatre, all of which provide regular programs and have dedicated rehearsal/programming/performance

space. On the other hand, however, can be found what might be referred to as Rochester’s ‘independent scene’—multiple arts

groups, artists, and ethnic cultural communities, all struggling for funds and space (but mostly space).

✲  As a side note, space is not only important because artists and arts organizations need places to work and produce—

it is also a crucial part of the Southeast Minnesota Arts Council granting process. Grantees are required to have a

public capstone. Without a guaranteed, final, public showing place at the time of application, a potential grantee will

not be funded.

✲  According to arts groups, the need for arts and gathering space has increased significantly since the announcement of the

DMC. While a handful of artists and organizations had space in downtown Rochester, the DMC has raised property values,

leading to rents that many can no longer afford.

✲  Further exacerbating the problem, many of the community’s rentable spaces are either too expensive, too big, or have low

availability. The Library, for example, is already booking for April 2017.

✲  In March 2016, the City opened a Request for Proposals for the Senior Center/Armory. The Arts and Cultural Initiative (ACI), an

extension of the local arts advocacy group, Rochester Arts and Cultural Collaborative (RACC), submitted a proposal suggesting

that the facility be converted to a multi-tenant, multi-use art space. The results of the RFP have not yet been decided on, but

many art and cultural community representatives feel that, if the ACI’s proposal is unsuccessful, Rochester’s independent

arts and culture community will be completely displaced.

Context: arts + culture in Rochester

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Rochester Arts + Cultural Collaborative: Spaces Committee Chateau Brainstorm Report (March 2015)

✲  In 2015, RACC’s Spaces Committee held a brainstorming meeting to consider the future of the Chateau Theatre.

✲  The brainstorm identified three potential uses for the building:

1.  Mixed-use theater/gathering space for film, music, performance, theatre, education, presentations, and events;

2.  Commercial destination activated with a snack bar/coffee shop or retail; and,

3.  Information center with a visitor center, video kiosks, and/or a satellite Mayo Museum.

✲  Their concept highlighted that there should always be ‘something going on’ and that programming should be targeted at four

audiences: Mayo patients, Mayo employees, Rochester residents, and Rochester visitors.

✲  They also considered the potential for the Chateau to function as an adjunct site to a larger performing arts center.

✲  The four key issues the sub-committee felt needed to be considered were:

1.  Who will manage the Chateau?

2.  How will operations be funded?

3.  How will remodeling be funded?

4.  What about parking and accessibility?

Context: arts and culture in Rochester

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Forces + trends

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Forces + trends

12 national endowment for the arts

changes in arts attendance from 2008 to 2012

Between 2008 and 2012, national rates of attendance at visual and performing arts activities dropped slightly, remaining below 2002 levels. In 2012, one in three U.S. adults (33 percent, or about 78 million) visited an art museum or gallery or attended at least one of various types of performing arts events.1

A closer look at individual types of arts activity shows that theater attendance (musical and non-musical play-going) declined significantly since 2008. So did the share of adults visiting art museums or galleries or attending crafts fairs or visual arts festivals.

Notably, non-white and Hispanic groups upheld their arts attendance rates, and even showed increases for some activities. And more adults, from a variety of demographic groups, went to the movies in 2012 than in 2008.

Performing Arts Attendance

1) Arts attendance rates held steady (showing no statistically significant difference) for the following types of activity between 2008 and 2012:

Classical music (8.8 percent of all adults nationwide, or 20.7 million people, attended at least one event in the 2012 survey year)

Jazz (8.1 percent, or 19.0 million adults)

Dance other than ballet (5.6 percent, or 13.2 million adults)

Latin, Spanish, or salsa music (5.1 percent, or 12.0 million adults)

Ballet (2.7 percent, or 6.3 million adults)

Opera (2.1 percent, or 4.9 million adults)

2002 2008 2012

Classical Music 11.6% 9.3% 8.8%

Jazz 10.8% 7.8% 8.1%

Dance Other than Ballet 6.3% 5.2% 5.6%

Latin, Spanish, or Salsa Music NA 4.9% 5.1%

Ballet 3.9% 2.9% 2.7%

Opera 3.2% 2.1% 2.1%

Percent of U.S. Adults Who Attended a Performing Arts Activity, by Type (Excluding Musical and Non-Musical Plays): 2002, 2008, and 2012

NA = This question was not asked before 2008.

Note: None of the changes between 2008 and 2012 are statistically significant.

Percent of U.S. Adults Who Attended at Least One of Various Types of Arts Performance or Visited an Art Museum or Gallery: 1982–2012

1982 1992 2002 2008 2012

39.0%41.0%

39.4%

34.6% 33.3%

move numbers 5 pts to right, 16 pts down

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

Performing arts events included: jazz; classical music; opera; musical and non-musical plays; and ballet. These are all activities for which attendance rates have been tracked since 1982.

The change from 2008 to 2012 is statistically significant at the 90 percent confidence level.

✲  The NEA’s Survey of Public Participation in the Arts has long been considered the best dataset on arts attendance.

The 2012 survey confirmed that fewer adults are attending virtually all types of performing arts activity, a trend that

has been apparent through several survey cycles.

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Forces + trends

✲  It also confirmed that educational attainment continues to be the leading indicator of arts participation.

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Visited Museum or Gallery

Attended Dance, Non-Ballet

Attended Non-musical theater

Attended Musical Theater

Took an Art Class or Lesson

Percentage of U.S. Adult Population Participating in the Arts by Level of Educational Attainment

Graduate School

College Graduate

Some College

High School

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✲  And that participation in the arts by younger adults has been trending downwards for over 20 years across all

disciplines.

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

1982 1992 2002 2008 2012

Young Adult Participation Proportion of adults aged 18 to 24 that attended live performance at least once annually

Jazz

Classical Music

Opera

Musicals

Plays

Ballet

Forces + trends

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Forces + trends

✲  In December 2015, Americans for the Arts and

Ipsos Public Affairs surveyed more than 3,000

Americans over the age of 18 on arts participation,

support for arts education and government arts

funding, and the personal benefits and well-being

that come from arts participation.

✲  Key findings (released July 2016):

✲  Two thirds of Americans attended an arts

event in the past year.

✲  An even higher proportion of people

experienced arts at a non-arts venue.

✲  People of color are more likely to attend than

White people.

✲  Note that this effort suggests that national

levels of participation may be higher than

suggested by the SPPA.

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Forces + trends

✲  The AFTA and Ipsos Public Opinion Poll

also shows:

✲  Educational attainment and

household income are key predictors

of arts participation.

✲  Half of Americans are active art

makers.

✲  Americans believe that cultural

facilities are key to quality of life,

local business, and the economy.

✲  Americans believe the arts are part

of a well-rounded K-12 education.

✲  Millennials are the most active arts

generation, as attendees, collectors,

donors, and practitioners.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

Zoo, aquarium, or botanical garden

Historic site

Musical performance (Classical or popular)

Museum of history or science (incl. children's

museums)

Theater performance

Museum of art

Visual arts, crafts exhibition, art gallery

Opera/musical theater

Dance performance

Art or film festival

Percentage of Public Opinion Poll Respondents Participating in the Arts

by Level of Educational Attainment College degree

No college degree

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✲  The NEA’s SPPA suggests that Hispanic populations have higher rates of attendance at informal arts events (craft

fairs and festivals, outdoor arts festivals, visits to historic sites and parks, and so on) than White populations.

✲  Attendance at Latin, Spanish, or salsa music events mark the highest rates of attendance for self-identified

Hispanics (17.4 percent of Hispanics attend), followed by art museums or galleries, art or craft fairs and festivals,

outdoor performing arts festivals, and visits to historic sites (all at rates of approximately 14 percent).

✲  Hispanics are 30 percent more likely than Whites to view or listen to arts recordings or live broadcasts. In addition,

Hispanics are also more likely than Whites to participate in the arts via electronic media alone (26.3 percent versus

5.9 percent), and twice as likely as Whites to participate in both electronic media-based and attendance-based

activities (18.5 percent versus 8.9 percent).

Forces + trends: hispanic/latino participation

Source: 2008 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts

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✲  A 2010 study in Philadelphia revealed that the average immigrant tends to annually participate in more creative

activities than the average US-born resident.

✲  The NEA’s SPPA also suggests that immigrant populations are often highly engaged in art forms connected to their

cultural identity. Participation in these art forms, however, tends to take place outside of formalized cultural

institutions in places like churches and community centers.

✲  Participatory art practices are often the key form of arts participation for recent immigrant and foreign-born

populations and act as a form of introduction to more formal arts participation.

Forces + trends: immigrant/foreign-born participation

Sources: Art-based Social Inclusion, William Penn Foundation, 2010; Immigrant Participatory Arts: An Insight into Community-Building in Silicon Valley, by Pia Moriarty, Ph.D., 2004

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Forces + trends: americans for the arts—local arts

index

✲  The Local Arts Index is a tool launched by Americans for the Arts in 2012 to help understand the characteristics of

cultural life of individual communities as measured at the county level.

✲  The Index considers four dimensions:

✲  Arts Activity: Levels of participation and production;

✲  Resources: The flows of arts revenues and organizational resources used in the arts;

✲  Competitiveness: The arts relative to other community economic markers; and,

✲  Local Cultural Character: Attributes of the arts that differentiate places from each other.

✲  The next slide contains highlights from the Index for Olmsted County as well as Dodge, Wabasha, and Winona

counties.

✲  These counties were selected based on their shared border with Olmsted County and similarities in educational

attainment and median household income.

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index

Americans for the Arts: Local Arts Index (April 2015) Olmsted County Dodge Country Wabasha County Winona County

Market Characteristics2016 Population estimate 152,655 20,743 21,261 51,050Educational attainment: Bach and higher, age 25+ 40.0% 23.6% 20.3% 27.1%Median household income $68,378 $71,830 $54,162 $52,081Cultural ProgrammingTotal nonprofit arts expenditures per capita, 2009 $41.89 $15.19 $14.51 $45.29Total nonprofit arts expenditures per capita, 2010 $44.21 $14.45 $13.47 $60.51Total nonprofit arts expenditures per capita, 2012 $42.63 $9.44 $11.86 $59.19Consumer ExpendituresEstimated expenditure on admission fees per capita, 2015 $27.53 $24.92 $23.84 $29.37Estimated expenditures on recorded media per capita, 2015 $71.93 $67.54 $67.22 $71.34Estimated expenditures on musical instruments per capita, 2015 $15.13 $12.52 $11.45 $12.76Estimated expenditures on photo equipment per capita, 2015 $68.57 $64.01 $62.63 $60.62Estimated expenditures on reading material per capita, 2015 $256.59 $223.08 $238.88 $226.91Total estimated selected expenditures per capita, 2015 $439.75 $392.07 $404.03 $401.00Artists + Arts BusinessesSolo artists per 100,000 population, 2009 200.35 79.65 161.47 196.27Solo artists per 100,000 population, 2011 225.07 103.80 200.22 211.12Solo artists per 100,000 population, 2012 224.24 93.90 177.47 218.45Solo artists per 100,000 population, 2013 246.61 142.51 181.88 230.32"Creative Industries" businesses per 100,000 population, 2009 277.99 189.18 207.60 192.38"Creative Industries" businesses per 100,000 population, 2013 240.03 192.77 181.60 164.64"Creative Industries" businesses per 100,000 population, 2014 223.15 186.74 191.20 162.01Arts and culture establishments per 100,000 population, 2009 63.78 34.85 18.45 38.86Arts and culture establishments per 100,000 population, 2011 63.24 29.66 9.31 44.55Arts and culture establishments per 100,000 population, 2012 55.62 29.49 13.99 39.04Arts and culture establishments per 100,000 population, 2013 63.66 29.49 23.32 39.04Arts NonprofitsTotal nonprofit arts organizations per 100,000 population, 2009 18.72 29.87 9.23 21.38Total nonprofit arts organizations per 100,000 population, 2010 19.41 34.89 9.23 21.38Total nonprofit arts organizations per 100,000 population, 2012 18.35 19.77 9.34 23.41Arts education nonprofit organizations per 100,000 population, 2009 1.39 0.00 0.00 0.00Arts education nonprofit organizations per 100,000 population, 2010 1.39 0.00 0.00 0.00Arts education nonprofit organizations per 100,000 population, 2012 0.68 0.00 0.00 0.00

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index

✲  Total nonprofit arts expenditures per capita averaged $42.91 in Olmsted County between 2009 to 2012. This is significantly higher than in Dodge or Wabasha Counties, but less than nonprofit arts expenditures per capita in Winona

County, where the average from 2009 to 2012 was $55.00.

✲  In 2015, Olmsted County consumers spent the most per capita on reading material: $256.59. They also spent the most on

recorded media ($71.93), musical instruments ($15.13), and photo equipment ($68.57).

✲  The estimated expenditure on admission fees per capita for 2015 was highest in Winona County at $29.37. In Olmsted County, the estimated expenditure on admission fees was $27.53.

✲  The number of solo artists in Olmsted County and Winona County is growing, while in Dodge and Wabasha Counties it

appears to fluctuate over time.

✲  With the exception of Wabasha County, the number of “Creative Industries” businesses per 100,000 population decreased

from 2009 to 2014, while the number of arts and culture establishments has remained relatively the same.

✲  Most alarming is the lack of arts education nonprofit organizations per 100,000 population in all counties. While Dodge,

Wabasha, and Winona counties have no arts education nonprofits, there were half as many in Olmsted County in 2012 as

there were in 2009 and 2010.

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Forces + trends: the arts in southeast minnesota

✲  Data from the 2015 Creative Minnesota Region 10 Economic Impact Study indicates

that in 2015:

✲  Southeastern Minnesota benefited from

nearly $25.6 million of economic impact

generated by arts and culture.

✲  Arts and culture supported 716 full-time

jobs and generated $15.2 million in

household income.

✲  More than half of the total audience (52.2

percent) had a two or four-year college degree. An additional 32.6 percent had a

master’s or doctoral degree.

✲  79.9 percent of arts attendees lived within

the region. The remainder were non-local

and spent and average of $22.21 per person.

✲  Region 10 is defined as Dodge, Fillmore,

Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Mower,

Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona counties.

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Market analysis

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Market analysis

While it might seem like a simple exercise, defining a market (or audience) can actually be a complicated issue for arts

and cultural facilities.

Overview

This analysis will define the market and examine the potential for a rehabilitated Chateau Theatre to attract and serve

audiences, paying close attention to key indicators for arts participation and attendance such as educational

attainment and household income.

Methodology

To define the market for the Chateau Theatre, we looked to ticket buyer data from Riverside Concerts, Rochester

International Film Group, and the Rochester Symphony Orchestra + Chorale. We then collected demographic data from

Nielsen Segmentation + Market Solutions, a market research resource that expands and extrapolates Census data

using a variety of inputs. Lastly, we examined local and regional tourism data in order to assess the potential for

attracting regional visitors to the rehabilitated theater.

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Market analysis: defining the market

✲  To define the market for a rehabilitated Chateau Theatre, we requested ticket buyer data (addresses only, no

names) from multiple Rochester arts groups.

✲  Through that request, we received the following information:

✲  Riverside Concerts: Ticket buyer data for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016 Riverside Live concert

series.

✲  Rochester International Film Group: Ticket buyer data for the 2016 Festival.

✲  Rochester Symphony Orchestra + Chorale: Ticket buyer data for the 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016

seasons.

✲  Using that data, we made a series of thematic maps showing the distribution of ticket buyers by zip code.

✲  The following maps show the distribution of ticket buyers for each group’s 2015-2016 season.

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Market analysis: defining the market—

riverside concerts

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rochester international film group

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rochester symphony orchestra + chorale

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aggregate ticket data, 2015-2016

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✲  The maps indicate that

ticket buyers are primarily

distributed in Rochester

and western Olmsted

County, but that there is

also distribution

throughout Southeast

Minnesota, an area defined

by entities like the

Minnesota State Arts

Board, Minnesota Citizens

for the Arts, and Minnesota

Department of Health as

Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn,

Goodhue, Houston, Mower,

Olmsted, Rice, Steele,

Wabasha, and Winona

counties.

✲  Based on this data, we

have defined the local and

regional markets for the

Chateau Theatre as follows:

✲  Market Segment #1:

City of Rochester


Olmsted County


Southeast Minnesota


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Mayo Employee / Residence ZipCode

11

✲  Further support for defining

the market as such comes

from:

✲  The DMC Development

Plan-Vol. II, which studied

the City of Rochester and

Olmsted County markets;

✲  The City of Rochester

Music Department, which

offers educational

programming throughout

the 11-county Southeast

Minnesota area; and,

✲  The map at right,

collected from the

Employment + Population

Projections: Looking Ahead Through 2014 (May 2014) report created by the

Rochester-Olmsted

Council of Governments

Planning + Analysis

Division, which indicates

the distribution of Mayo

employee residences

throughout Southeast

Minnesota.

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Market characteristics: growth

✲  Locally and regionally, the population is growing; although, it is projected that growth will slow over the next five years.

✲  In Rochester, the population is currently estimated at 113,414. Between 2000 and 2010, it grew from 91,801 to 106,769, an

increase of 16.30 percent. By 2021, it is projected to grow an additional 10.60 percent, reaching 118,480 by 2021.

✲  Projections for Olmsted County are similar, with the population projected to grow 10.35 percent between 2010 and 2021,

reaching 159,565.

✲  In Southeast Minnesota, growth has been much slower. While between 2000 and 2010 the population grew by 7.52 percent

(growing from 460,100 in 2000 to 494,684 in 2010), it is projected that it will only grow by 3.92 percent between 2010 and 2021.

By 2021, it is projected that the population will have reached 514,257.

✲  These projections, however, could be impacted by the DMC and its level of success.

0

25,000

50,000

75,000

100,000

125,000

150,000

Rochester Olmsted County

Population Growth: Local Market

2000 Census

2010 Census

2016 Estimate

2021 Projection

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

500,000

SE Minnesota

Population Growth: Regional Market

2000 Census

2010 Census

2016 Estimate

2021 Projection

building creativity


Market characteristics: age

✲  Although Southeast Minnesota

skews slightly older, all three

market segments are diverse in

age.

✲  In both Rochester and Olmsted

County, 25 percent of the

population belongs to the ‘17 and

under’ age bracket. Of that 25

percent, 21 percent is age 14 and

younger, indicating a large

number of families.

✲  In Southeast Minnesota, 19

percent of the population is age

14 and under.

✲  Notably, only eight percent of

both the Rochester and Olmsted

County markets fall into the 18 to

24-years-old age bracket.

✲  In Rochester, however, there is a

relatively large older Millennial

(those born between 1981 and

1997) cohort: 15 percent of the

population is within the ages of

25 and 34.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

17 and under

18 to 24

25 to 34

35 to 44

45 to 54

55 to 64

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Rochester

Olmsted County

SE Minnesota

USA

building creativity


Market characteristics: income

✲  Economically, each market segment is very diverse.

✲  In Rochester, 13 percent of the population has an income of $150,000, while 17 percent has an income of ‘Less than $24,999’.

✲  Comparatively, the County is somewhat more affluent: 14 percent of the population has an income of $150,000 or more, and

only 15 percent has an income that is ‘Less than $24,999’.

✲  In Southeast Minnesota, the percentage of the population with an income between $50,000 and $74,999 (19 percent) and the

percentage of the population with an income between $75,000 and $99,999 (14 percent) is similar to those in the City of

Rochester and Olmsted County. There is, however, a much larger percentage of the population with a household income that is

‘Less than 24,999’ (19 percent) and a much smaller percentage with a household income of ‘$150,000 or more’ (9 percent).

✲  Median household income is highest in Olmsted County, where it is projected to reach $72,368 by 2021.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

Less than $24,999

$25,000 to $49,999

$50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,000 to $149,999

$150,000 or more

Household Income Distribution

Rochester

Olmsted County

SE Minnesota

USA

$40,000

$45,000

$50,000

$55,000

$60,000

$65,000

$70,000

$75,000

2010 2016 2021

Median Household Income

Rochester

Olmsted County

SE Minnesota

USA

building creativity


Market characteristics: education

✲  Rochester and Olmsted

County have very high levels

of educational attainment.

✲  In both market segments,

nearly half of the population

has either a Bachelor’s Degree

or a Graduate or Professional

Degree (43 percent in

Rochester and 40 percent in

the County). This is, in some

part, the result of the

presence of Mayo Clinic,

which employs 34,000+

physicians, scientists,

residents and fellows, and

allied health staff.

✲  In Southeast Minnesota,

educational attainment is

lower but on par with national

data. There is, however, a

significant portion of the

population (30 percent) that

falls into the ‘High School

Graduate (or GED)’ bracket.

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

High School Graduate (or GED)

Some College, No Degree

Associate Degree

Bachelor's Degree

Graduate or Prof Degree

Educational Attainment

Rochester

Olmsted County SE Minnesota

USA

building creativity


Market characteristics: race + ethnicity

✲  Locally and regionally, the market is very diverse. Although each market segment has a majority ‘White’ population, there are pockets of

‘Hispanic or Latino’, ‘Black or African American’, and ‘Asian’ populations.

✲  In Rochester, 5.9 percent of the population is ‘Hispanic or Latino’ (although, estimates indicate that this number is likely closer to 10 percent

when the undocumented population is accounted for), 7.2 percent is ‘Black or African American’, and 7.4 percent is ‘Asian’. Anecdotal research

indicates that, in addition to a large Southeast Indian and Somali community, the city has growing Sudanese, Hmong, Chinese, Cambodian,

and Kenyan populations.

✲  Also of note is Southeast Minnesota’s growing ‘Hispanic or Latino’ population, which is similar in size to the ‘Hispanic or Latino’ population in

Rochester, but somewhat larger than that of Olmsted County. This trend is projected to continue: by 2021, it is estimated that the ‘Hispanic or

Latino’ population in Southeast Minnesota will reach 6.1 percent, while the ‘Hispanic or Latino’ population in Olmsted County is projected to

reach 5.5 percent.

✲  English is the language spoken at home in 85 percent of Rochester households, 88 percent of Olmsted County households, and 91 percent of

households in Southeast Minnesota. There are, however, small percentages of the population that speak Spanish, Asian Pacific Islander, and

Indo-European languages. Anecdotal research revealed that, at one Rochester elementary school alone, 40 different languages are spoken.

0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0%

White

Hispanic or Latino

Black or African American

Asian

Native American or Alaskan Native

Other

Race + Ethnicity

Rochester

Olmsted County SE Minnesota

USA

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

English

Asian Pacific Islander Language

IndoEuropean Language

Spanish

Other Language

Language Spoken at Home

Rochester

Olmsted County

SE Minnesota

USA

building creativity


Market characteristics: mayo in rochester

✲  In Rochester, Mayo employs more than 34,000 people.

✲  More than 5,700 outpatients (roughly 1.5 million annually) visit Mayo’s Rochester campus daily. While eighty percent

of patients are from Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin, many travel from beyond a 500-mile radius of the city.

✲  According to research conducted by Mayo, only 30 percent of a patient’s time is spent in the care setting—the

remaining 70 percent, roughly four to 5 hours a day, is spent off-campus in the community.

✲  Anecdotal research indicates that there are a significant number of Middle Eastern patients visiting Mayo each year

and that out-of-town visitors are responsible for 90 to 95 percent of annual downtown retail sales.

✲  Research also indicates that most patients are traveling with at least one other person and are looking for things to

do between doctor appointments.

building creativity


Market analysis: non-resident market

✲  In 2014, the Rochester Convention + Visitors Bureau worked with Destination Analysts to develop the Rochester Minnesota

Brand Development Survey. The survey was shared with two groups: leisure travelers living within 500 miles of Rochester and

individuals on the Rochester CVB consumer marketing list. The majority of survey responders were ‘White’, married, educated,

and had an annual household income of $50,000 to $74,999. A selection of report findings follows.

✲  Regional leisure travelers value affordability, safety, beautiful scenery, easy access, and lots of things to see and do

when evaluating where to travel. Thirty-three percent of regional leisure travelers found Arts/Culture to be an

‘Important’ attribute, while only 11.8 percent found it to be a ‘Very Important’ attribute.

✲  When asked to write the first three words or phases that came to mind when responders thought of Rochester, 39

percent of Regional Leisure Travelers wrote down Mayo Clinic, 27.5 percent wrote down ‘cold’, and 8.2 percent wrote

down ‘Boring’. Conversely, 60.2 percent of Rochester CVB Contact List responders wrote down Mayo Clinic, 13.6

percent wrote ‘Friendly’, and only 8.1% wrote ‘Cold’.

✲  Regional Leisure Travelers did not view Rochester as a ‘place where they can have a sense of adventure’, as having a

romantic ambiance, or as a place with nightlife/nightclubs and bars.

✲  Of those that had recently visited Rochester, 35.6 percent were visiting for medical-related reasons. The primary

activities and attractions they attended included shopping (68.8 percent) and exploring Quarry Hill Nature Center (18.8

percent).

✲  The majority of Rochester visitors (73.9 percent) traveled with a spouse or significant other and had a mean age of

40.0 years.

✲  The top motivators for inspiring travel to Rochester included ‘the opportunity to relax’, ‘local restaurants’, and

‘shopping’. ‘Concert or Arts/Entertainment’ event was classified as a ‘lesser motivator’.

✲  The ideal length of stay in Rochester was perceived to be just over three days.

building creativity


Market analysis: non-resident market

✲  According to the 2015 Rochester Convention + Visitors Bureau Report to the Community, 67 percent of Rochester

visitors in 2014 were visiting in connection to Mayo Clinic. To compare, 16 percent were visiting for a convention or

sports event, nine percent were visiting for business and corporate purposes, five percent were visiting for leisure,

and three percent for other reasons.

✲  In 2016, the Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau worked with The Experience Institute to produce the April

2015-March 2016 Rochester Experience Report. The results of that study found that:

✲  48 percent of Rochester visitors have visited Rochester before;

✲  58 percent of visitors travel to Rochester from a distance of 180 miles or more;

✲  Between September 2015 and March 2016, 44 percent of visitors had traveled to Rochester due to Medical

Appointments (this question was not asked prior to September 2015);

✲  Only three percent of respondents felt that Rochester was best for those that like ‘Museums/Culture/Arts’;

✲  56 percent of responders thought Rochester was best for those that like ‘Dining/Restaurants’; and,

✲  Overnight visitors stay in Rochester an average of 9.3 nights.

building creativity


Market conclusions

✲  The market is growing. While growth is projected to slow over time, this might be impacted by the

DMC and its success.

✲  The population is diverse in age and income, indicating a need for an assortment of programs at

variable price points, including opportunities to participate in hands-on classes and workshops,

family programs, and traditional performing arts performances.

✲  Rochester and Olmsted County have very high levels of educational attainment, suggesting

propensity to support the arts.

✲  There is significant diversity in the market, particularly in Rochester. The city’s cultural groups

are incredibly active and very community oriented. This indicates opportunities for culturally-

specific and hands-on programs that celebrate and engage the community in its diversity.

✲  The non-resident market is large, diverse, and primarily traveling to Rochester for reasons

associated with Mayo Clinic. They spend 70 percent of their time outside of the hospital, and

according to anecdotal research, are on the hunt for activities to do in this time.

building creativity


Existing facilities

building creativity


Overview

In order to assess the competitive situation for a rehabilitated Chateau Theatre, we developed three inventories:

✲  The first, of local (defined as the City of Rochester) and regional (beyond Rochester) facilities used on a regular basis (4 or more

times per year) for live performance;

✲  The second, of regional facilities used for presenting second-run and independent film; and,

✲  The third, of Rochester’s meeting and event spaces.

This exercise allows us to analyze the current stock of facilities, including their amenities, features, programming, and availability,

in order to identify gaps.

Methodology: Performing Arts Facilities Inventory

✲  The inventory considers the physical features and types of activities hosted in 30 local and regional indoor facilities (22 locally

and eight regionally) with capacities between 100 and 1,200 seats. Twenty-six of these facilities are located within a 30-mile

radius of the Chateau. An additional four, however, are located within the 35-mile radius. They have been included given their

potential to be competitive to a rehabilitated facility.

✲  In addition, the condition and functionality of each facility has been rated using eight variables. They include:

✲  Facility condition,

✲  Staff and support,

✲  Theatrical functionality,

✲  Acoustics,

✲  Customer amenities,

✲  User amenities,

✲  Atmosphere/character, and

✲  Suitability for users.

✲  Variables are rated on a scale of 1 to 4, with the higher score being better. The ‘building condition’ and ‘staff and support’

categories carry the most weight.

Existing facilities: Rochester performance

facility inventory

building creativity



facility inventory Rochester, MN Performance Facility InventoryIndoor facilities with capacities up to 1,200 seats within 30 miles of the Chateau Theatre

Type Facility Cap. Even

t Typ

es S

uppo

rted

Faci

lity

Cond

itio

n

Staf

f and

Sup

port

Thea

tric

al F

unct

iona

lity

Acou

stic

s

Cust

omer

Am

enit

ies

Use

r Am

enit

ies

Atm

osph

ere/

Char

acte

r

Suit

abili

ty fo

r Use

rs

Rat

ing

Bro

adw

ay

Off

-Bro

adw

ay

Dan

ce

Mus

ic

Thea

tre

Film

Hea

dlin

er/P

opul

ar M

usic

Ope

ra

Fam

ily

Com

edy

Spok

en W

ord

Lect

ures

Cult

ural

Perf

orm

ing

Arts

Acad

emic

/Edu

cati

onal

Fest

ival

s

Cult

ural

Cult

ural

Org

aniz

atio

ns

Tour

ing

Bro

adw

ay

Scho

ol/C

olle

ge

Priv

ate

Even

ts

Prom

oter

Church Autumn Ridge Church: Sanctuary 1,188 9 4 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 3.2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Performance Mayo Civic Center: Presentation Hall 1,113 5 3 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2.9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Church Bethel Lutheran Church 1,000 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 2.6 1 1 1 1 1School/Uni. John Marshall High School Auditorium 750 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2.4 1 1 1 1 1School/Uni. Century High School Auditorium 625 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2.4 1 1 1 1 1School/Uni. Mayo High School Smith Auditorium 600 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2.4 1 1 1 1 1School/Uni. Lourdes High School Auditorium 598 5 4 3 3 3 1 2 4 3 3.0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Other Wicked Moose Bar & Grill 500 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 2.4 1 1 1 1 1Other Mayo Clinic: Phillips Auditorium 425 3 3 2 1 2 3 2 2 1 2.1 1 1 1Church Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 400 3 3 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 2.2 1 1 1Church Assisi Heights: Lourdes Chapel 350 1 3 1 1 3 2 1 4 2 2.1 1 1School/Uni. Rochester Community+Technical College Hill Theatre 325 7 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 2.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Church Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 300 2 3 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 2.0 1 1 1Performance Rochester Civic Theatre Main Stage 299 9 3 4 3 4 3 2 3 3 3.2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Other Mayo Clinic: Geffen Auditorium 230 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 2.2 1 1 1Church Autumn Ridge Church: Timothy Chapel 200 5 3 4 2 2 2 2 4 2 2.8 1 1 1 1 1 1Performance Rochester Civic Theatre Black Box (opening 2017) 200 5 4 4 3 4 3 2 2 3 3.3 1 1 1 1 1 1School/Uni. STEM Academy: Auditorium 200 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2.1 1 1 1Other Rochester Public Library Auditorium 125 6 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1.9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Other Kathy's Pub 100 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1.6 1 1Other Rochester Elks Lodge #1091 100 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1.4 1 1 1Performance Rochester Repertory Theatre 100 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 2.5 1 1

0% 0% 5% 41% 23% 9% 14% 0% 23% 5% 0% 36% 5% 59% 77% 9% 0% 82% 0% 41% 77% 18%

Performance Chatfield Center for the Arts: Potter Auditorium** 700 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3.0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Performance Austin Paramount Theatre* 620 7 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 2.3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Performance Sheldon Theatre, Red Wing* 468 10 3 3 3 3 4 2 4 3 3.1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Performance Zumbrota State Theatre 275 8 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 2.6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1Performance Commonweal Theatre* 200 5 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 2.7 1 1 1 1 1Performance Mantorville Theatre Company at the Historic Opera House 150 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2.1 1 1 1Other Oak Center General Store* 150 3 2 2 2 3 3 1 3 3 2.3 1 1 1Performance St. Mane Theatre* 126 7 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2.9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1*These facilities are located approx. 30-35 mi. away from the Chateau Theatre 0% 0% 50% 88% 63% 63% 38% 0% 50% 25% 0% 25% 0% 50% 50% 13% 0% 75% 0% 25% 75% 13%

** After current renovation is completed 0% 0% 17% 55% 34% 24% 20% 0% 31% 10% 0% 35% 3% 59% 73% 10% 0% 83% 0% 38% 79% 17%

Reg

iona

l Fac

iliti

es

Total

Facility Rating Presenting Activity Rental ActivityProducing Activity

Roc

hest

er F

acili

ties

building creativity


Rochester, MN Performance Facility InventoryIndoor facilities with capacities up to 1,200 seats within 30 miles of the Chateau Theatre

Type Facility Cap. Even

t Typ

es S

uppo

rted

Faci

lity

Cond

itio

n

Staf

f and

Sup

port

Thea

tric

al F

unct

iona

lity

Acou

stic

s

Cust

omer

Am

enit

ies

Use

r Am

enit

ies

Atm

osph

ere/

Char

acte

r

Suit

abili

ty fo

r Use

rs

Rat

ing

Church Autumn Ridge Church: Sanctuary 1,188 9 4 4 2 3 3 2 3 3 3.2Performance Mayo Civic Center: Presentation Hall 1,113 5 3 4 3 3 3 2 2 2 2.9Church Bethel Lutheran Church 1,000 3 3 3 2 3 2 2 3 2 2.6School/Uni. John Marshall High School Auditorium 750 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 2.4School/Uni. Century High School Auditorium 625 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2.4School/Uni. Mayo High School Smith Auditorium 600 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2.4School/Uni. Lourdes High School Auditorium 598 5 4 3 3 3 1 2 4 3 3.0Other Wicked Moose Bar & Grill 500 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 2.4Other Mayo Clinic: Phillips Auditorium 425 3 3 2 1 2 3 2 2 1 2.1Church Gloria Dei Lutheran Church 400 3 3 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 2.2Church Assisi Heights: Lourdes Chapel 350 1 3 1 1 3 2 1 4 2 2.1School/Uni. Rochester Community+Technical College Hill Theatre 325 7 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 3 2.5Church Good Shepherd Lutheran Church 300 2 3 1 1 2 2 2 3 2 2.0Performance Rochester Civic Theatre Main Stage 299 9 3 4 3 4 3 2 3 3 3.2Other Mayo Clinic: Geffen Auditorium 230 3 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 2.2Church Autumn Ridge Church: Timothy Chapel 200 5 3 4 2 2 2 2 4 2 2.8Performance Rochester Civic Theatre Black Box (opening 2017) 200 5 4 4 3 4 3 2 2 3 3.3School/Uni. STEM Academy: Auditorium 200 2 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2.1Other Rochester Public Library Auditorium 125 6 3 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 1.9Other Kathy's Pub 100 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 1.6Other Rochester Elks Lodge #1091 100 2 2 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1.4Performance Rochester Repertory Theatre 100 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 2.5

Performance Chatfield Center for the Arts: Potter Auditorium** 700 6 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3.0Performance Austin Paramount Theatre* 620 7 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 2.3Performance Sheldon Theatre, Red Wing* 468 10 3 3 3 3 4 2 4 3 3.1Performance Zumbrota State Theatre 275 8 2 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 2.6Performance Commonweal Theatre* 200 5 3 3 2 3 3 2 3 2 2.7Performance Mantorville Theatre Company at the Historic Opera House 150 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2.1Other Oak Center General Store* 150 3 2 2 2 3 3 1 3 3 2.3Performance St. Mane Theatre* 126 7 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2.9*These facilities are located approx. 30-35 mi. away from the Chateau Theatre** After current renovation is completed

Reg

iona

l Fac

iliti

es

Total

Facility Rating

Roc

hest

er F

acili

ties

Flex

ible

Sea

ting

Kit

chen

Fac

iliti

es

Reh

ears

al/P

rogr

am S

pace

Size

able

Win

gspa

ce

Orc

hest

ra P

it

Full

Fly

Tow

er

Alco

hol P

erm

it

Ded

icat

ed P

arki

ng

Café

/Res

taur

ant

Ligh

ting

Equ

ipm

ent

Soun

d Eq

uipm

ent

Film

/Pro

ject

ion

Equi

pmen

t

Tick

etin

g Se

rvic

es

Not

Ava

ilabl

e

Low

Med

ium

Hig

h

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 123% 77% 77% 27% 23% 5% 23% 91% 9% 77% 91% 73% 36% 27% 45% 27% 0%

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 1 1 1

13% 38% 38% 38% 25% 13% 75% 13% 0% 100% 100% 63% 88% 13% 63% 25% 0%

21% 69% 69% 31% 24% 7% 37% 73% 7% 86% 96% 72% 51% 24% 52% 28% 0%

Availability AmenitiesFacility Features


facility inventory

building creativity


Existing facilities:

Rochester

performance

facility inventory

building creativity



facility inventory Programming + Activity

✲  Music and lectures are the most commonly presented activities in local facilities—nine local facilities present music and eight present

lectures. Music also dominates presenting activity regionally, where it is presented at seven of the eight inventoried facilities.

✲  In Rochester, there is limited presenting of dance, theatre, film, family, comedy, and cultural programming. Regionally, half of all facilities

present dance and 63 percent present theatre and film. None, however, present culturally-specific programs.

✲  Nearly 60 percent of all facilities inventoried are used for producing performing arts and 73 percent are used for producing academic or

educational programs.

✲  Locally and regionally, rental activity is high: 82 percent of local facilities and 75 percent of regional facilities are rented by cultural

organizations, and 77 percent of local facilities and 78 percent of regional facilities are rented for private events.

0

2

4

6

8

10

Broadway

Off-Bro

adway

Dance

Music

Theatre

Film

Headliner/P

opular Music

Opera

Family

Comedy

Spoken Word

Lecture

s

Cultura

l

Rochester Performance Facilities Local vs. Regional Presenting Activity

Local

Regional

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Performing Arts Academic/Educational Festivals Cultural

Rochester Performance Facilities Local vs. Regional Producing Activity

Local

Regional

building creativity


Facility Features + Amenities

✲  The majority of local facilities (69 percent) have kitchen facilities and/or rehearsal/program space. Considerably fewer,

however, have such features as flexible seating, sizeable wingspace, an orchestra pit, or fly space. Regionally, very few

facilities have such features.

✲  Local facilities tend to be well-equipped: 20 of the 22 inventoried facilities (91 percent) have sound equipment, 17 of the 22 (77

percent) have lighting equipment, and 16 of the 22 (73 percent) have film/projection equipment.

✲  Only five local facilities have an alcohol permit and only two have a café or restaurant.

✲  Regionally, all of the facilities inventoried have lighting and sound equipment, many have film/projection equipment (63

percent), all but one offers ticketing services, and more than half can serve alcohol.


facility inventory

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Flexible Seating

Kitchen Facilit

ies

Rehearsal/Pro

gram Space

Sizeable Wingspace

Orchestra Pit

Fly Space

Rochester Performance Facilities Local vs. Regional Facility Features

Local

Regional

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Alcohol Perm

it

Dedicated Park

ing

Café/R

estaura

nt

Lighting Equipment

Sound Equipment

Film/P

rojectio

n Equipment

Ticketing Servi

ces

Rochester Performance Facilities Local vs. Regional Facility Amenities

Local

Regional

building creativity


✲  In the following slides,

we will compare the

quality (y-axis) and

capacity (x-axis) of each

inventoried facility.

✲  The size of each circle

represents the number of

activities supported by

the venue.

✲  We begin by focusing on

performance facilities in

Rochester.

✲  The majority of facilities

have capacities between

100 and 400 seats and

medium quality ratings.

✲  Quite a few facilities

support multiple event

types, while some only

support a few.


facility inventory

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200

Rochester Performance Facilities Capacity vs. Rating

Rochester Facilities

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ARC

RCT=Roch. Civic Theatre

LH=Lourdes High School

PH=Presentation Hall

ARC=Autumn Ridge

Church

LH PH

building creativity


✲  Here we have added the

regional facilities to the

mix.

✲  There are far fewer

regional facilities than

there are local facilities.

✲  Similar to the local

facilities, however,

regional facilities tend to

be smaller in size and

have medium quality

ratings.


facility inventory

WU CA

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200



Regional Facilities

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ARC



ST=Sheldon Theatre

PA=Potter

Auditorium PH=Presentation

Hall

ARC=Autumn Ridge Church

ST PA LH

PH

building creativity


✲  Next, we will consider

the inventoried facilities

based on their type.

✲  In total, 11 performance

facilities were

inventoried. Seven of

these have capacities

between 100 and 300

seats.

✲  The highest rated

facilities are the

Rochester Civic Theatre’s

Main Stage and Black

Box, which will open next

year, and the Sheldon

Theatre in Red Wing.

✲  Mayo Civic Center’s

Presentation Hall is the

largest performance

space in the inventory

with 1,113 seats.


facility inventory

RH BB

BM

CT

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200

Rochester Performance Facilities by Type

Performance

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ST PA


ST=Sheldon Theatre

PA=Potter Auditorium

PH=Presentation

Hall

PH

building creativity


RH BB

BM

WU CA

✲  We then add School/

University facilities to the

matrix.

✲  Six school/university

facilities were included in

the inventory: five are high

school facilities and one

belongs to Rochester

Community + Technical

College.

✲  Most of these facilities are

larger in capacity than the

performance spaces, but,

with the exception of

Lourdes High School, are

lower in quality.

✲  The biggest challenge with

school and university

facilities, however, is that

their own internal

programming takes

precedent, meaning limited

availability for outside users

and the threat of cancelled

bookings in order to

accommodate a school

program.


facility inventory

CT

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200


Performance

School/Uni.

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ST PA


ST=Sheldon Theatre


PA=Potter

Auditorium PA=Potter

Auditorium

LH PH

building creativity


✲  Lastly, we add Church

and ‘Other’ facilities to

the matrix.

✲  Other facilities include

local bars and

restaurants that host

musicians, the Rochester

Public Library

Auditorium, and Mayo

Clinic’s Phillips

Auditorium and Geffen

Auditorium.

✲  With the exception of

Autumn Ridge Church’s

Sanctuary and Timothy

Chapel, all of these

facilities tend to be low in

capacity and quality.


facility inventory

CA

RH BB

BM

WU

CT

CA

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200


Performance

School/Uni.

Church

Other

PA

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ST


ST=Sheldon Theatre


PA=Potter


Hall


LH

ARC

ARC PH

building creativity


✲  Finally, this last matrix

considers the availability

of each space. For this

exercise, availability is

based on the ease with

which an outside user

can book a space on a

prime day of the week

(Thursday thru Saturday

evening).

✲  The availability of a

space is determined

through conversations

with facility managers or

users, or through online

research.

✲  Of the spaces

inventoried, 22 of the 30

have no or low

availability.

✲  Eight have medium

availability, and none

have high availability.


facility inventory

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200

Rochester Performance Facilities by Availability

Not Available

Low

Medium

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ST LH

ARC

ARC

PA


ST=Sheldon Theatre


PA=Potter


Hall


PH

building creativity


✲  All of this research

indicates an opportunity

for a high-quality

performance facility.

✲  In particular, there is a

significant gap for a high

quality performance

space in the 600+

capacity range.

✲  This gap is amplified by

the fact that most of the

facilities inventoried have

no or low availability.


facility inventory

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200



Regional Facilities

capacity

qu

ali

ty

RCT RCT

ST LH

ARC

ARC

PA


ST=Sheldon Theatre


PA=Potter


Hall


PH

building creativity


Existing facilities: Rochester film facility

inventory

Methodology: Film Facilities Inventory

✲  This inventory considers the physical features and types of films presented in 10 local and regional film facilities.

✲  The inventory includes a mix of commercial and non-commercial film facilities. They range in capacity from 125 to

700 seats.

✲  Some of the facilities included in the inventory carry over from the Performing Arts Facility Inventory.

✲  Seven of these facilities are located within a 30-mile radius of the Chateau; three are located within 35 miles.

✲  These facilities have also been rated, but only by five variables. They include:

✲  Facility condition,

✲  Cinematic functionality,

✲  Staff and support,

✲  Customer amenities, and

✲  Atmosphere/character.

✲  Variables are rated on a scale of 1 to 4, with the higher score being better. The ‘facility condition’ and ‘cinematic

functionality’ categories carry the most weight.

building creativity



inventory

Rochester, MN Film Facility InventoryFacilities presenting film within 30 miles of the Chateau Theatre

Type FacilityTotal Cap. #

of T

ypes

of A

ctiv

ity

Faci

lity

Cond

itio

n

Cine

mat

ic F

unct

iona

lity

Staf

f and

Sup

port

Cust

omer

Am

enit

ies

Atm

osph

ere/

Char

acte

r

Rat

ing

Com

mer

cial

Clas

sic

Inde

pend

ent

Fam

ily

Fore

ign

Loca

l/R

egio

nal

Fest

ival

/Ser

ies

Gue

st S

peak

er/Q

&A

Cult

ural

Org

aniz

atio

ns

Scho

ol/C

olle

ge

Priv

ate

Even

ts

Fixe

d Se

atin

g

Mul

tipl

e Sc

reen

s

Soun

d Sy

stem

Alco

hol P

erm

it

Food

Ser

vice

/Con

cess

ions

Assi

stiv

e Li

sten

ing

Dev

ices

Ded

icat

ed P

arki

ng

Performance Chatfield Center for the Arts: Potter Auditorium** 700 4 3 3 3 3 3 3.0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Performance Austin Paramount Theatre* 620 3 2 3 2 3 4 2.7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Performance Sheldon Theatre, Red Wing* 468 7 3 3 3 4 4 3.3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Cinema Wehrenberg Theatres Rochester Galaxy 14 400 6 3 4 3 3 2 3.3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Performance Rochester Community+Technical College Hill Theatre 325 3 2 3 3 2 2 2.5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Cinema Cinemagic Hollywood 12 310 3 2 4 3 3 2 3.0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Performance Zumbrota State Theatre 275 4 2 3 3 3 3 2.8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Performance St. Mane Theatre* 126 5 3 3 3 2 3 2.9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Cinema Paragon Chateau 14 125 3 3 4 3 4 2 3.4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Other Rochester Public Library Auditorium 125 6 3 2 2 2 2 2.3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

*These facilities are located approx. 30-35 mi. away from the Chateau Theatre 30% 20% 60% 70% 50% 20% 70% 20% 70% 70% 90% 90% 30% 90% 60% 70% 20% 60%

** After current renovation is completed

Facility Rating Presenting Activity Rental Activity Features Amenities

building creativity


Existing

facilities:

Rochester

film facility

building creativity



inventory

Presenting Activity and Features + Amenities

✲  Seven of the inventoried facilities present family films and six present independent films.

✲  Only two facilities present films by local or regional filmmakers.

✲  Seven facilities present a film festival or series.

✲  Nearly all inventoried facilities have fixed seating and sound systems.

✲  Six facilities serve alcohol and seven have food service/concessions.

✲  Only two facilities have assisted listening devices.

0

2

4

6

8

10

Commercial

Classic

Independent

Family

Foreign

Local/Regional

Festival/S

eries

Guest Speaker/Q

&A

Monroe Film Facility Inventory: Presenting Activity

0

2

4

6

8

10

Fixed Seating

Multiple Scre

ens

Sound System

Alochol Perm

it

Food Service/C

oncessions

Assisted Liste

ning Devices

Dedicated Park

ing

Monroe Film Facility Inventory: Features + Amenities

building creativity



inventory

✲  Looking at the matrix for

film facilities, we can see

that most have quality

ratings between 2.0 and

3.0.

✲  Two of the facilities with

the highest ratings are

commercial cinemas.

Both of these facilities

are located outside of

downtown Rochester.

✲  Similarly, Sheldon

Theatre, the third higher-

quality facility, is located

beyond the Chateau

Theatre’s 30-mile radius.

✲  This indicates a gap for a

high quality facility in

downtown Rochester.

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

50 150 250 350 450 550 650 750

Rochester Film Facility Inventory Capacity vs. Rating, by Type

Performance

Cinema

Other

capacity

qu

ali

ty

PC=Paragon Chateau

WT=Wehrenberg Theatres

ST=Sheldon Theatre

PC

WT ST

building creativity


Methodology: Meeting + Event Facilities Inventory

✲  This inventory looks specifically at the features and amenities of meeting and event facilities in Rochester.

✲  The inventory includes 52 facilities with theater-seating capacities between 100 and 1,000 seats.

✲  Of the facilities inventoried, 33 are event spaces (primarily Mayo Civic Center), 13 are hotel spaces, and six are categorized

as ‘other’ (125 Live, Assisi Heights Spirituality Center, Rochester Art Center: Mayo Clinic Grand Lobby + Wells Fargo Atrium,

Rochester Public Library: Auditorium, Quarry Hill Nature Center: Savanna Room, and Wicked Moose Bar + Grill).

Existing facilities: Rochester meeting + events

inventory

Rochester, MN Meeting + Event Facility InventoryLocal facilities with theater-seating capacities between 100 and 1,000 seatsLocal facilities with theater-seating capacities between 100 and 1,000 seats

Type Facility

Event Mayo Civic Center: Exhibit Hall IV

Hotel Kahler Grand Hotel: Heritage Hall

Event Mayo Civic Center: Grand Ballroom III

Event Mayo Civic Center: Grand Ballroom II

Other Wicked Moose Bar & Grill: Venue

Other Rochester Art Center: Mayo Clinic Grand Lobby + Wells Fargo Atrium

Event Mayo Civic Center: Exhibit Hall I

Event Mayo Civic Center: Exhibit Hall III

Event Rochester Golf + Country Club: Winged Foot Ballroom*

Event Mayowood Stone Barn: Barn

Event Zumbro 2228 Eagles Club*

Event Mayo Civic Center: Meeting Room 101


Hotel Rochester Marriott Mayo Clinic Area: Ballroom I





Hotel Wyndham Garden Rochester: Pavilion Ballroom*

Event Blue Moon Ballroom

Hotel Holiday Inn Rochester Downtown: Plaza Room

Event Mayo Civic Center: Exhibit Hall II

Hotel Kahler Grand Hotel: Windsor Hall

Hotel Kahler Apache Hotel: Royale A

Other 125 LIVE (under construction)*

Hotel Kahler Apache Hotel: Grand A

Other Assisi Heights Spirituality Center

Hotel Kahler Apache Hotel: Royale B









Event American Legion Post 92*

Event Mayo Civic Center: Riverview Suite C

Hotel Rochester Marriott Mayo Clinic Area: Ballroom II

Event Willow Creek Golf Course: Willow Room

Event Mayo Civic Center: Riverview Suite D

Hotel Kahler Apache Hotel: Grand C

Other Rochester Public Library: Auditorium

Hotel Kahler Grand Hotel: Elizabethan Grand Ballroom

Event Wood Lake Meeting Center: Oak Room

Event Mayo Civic Center: Legion Suite

Event Mayo Civic Center: Riverview Suite B

Event Rochester Elks Lodge 1091

Other Quarry Hill Nature Center: Savanna Room

Event Studio324

Hotel Kahler Apache Hotel: Grand B

Hotel Kahler Grand Hotel: Rgency Room*Some capacity estimations made

Thea

ter

Ban

quet

Rec

epti

on

1,000 960 -

1,000 540 800

968 420 -

936 420 -

400 500 800

400 240 500

350 220 -

350 220 -

300 300 400

300 300 300

300 250 350

256 120 -

256 120 -

255 190 300

252 120 -

252 120 -

252 120 -

252 120 -

250 250 275

250 250 250

250 250 250

250 160 -

225 280 300

225 144 -

200 215 215

200 160 -

200 150 200

200 120 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

175 175 250

160 100 -

155 110 150

150 300 350

150 100 -

150 96 -

125 - 125

125 150 200

125 78 -

110 90 -

110 60 -

100 100 100

100 100 100

100 80 106

100 56 -

100 55 75Capacities

Uni

que/

His

tori

c Ve

nue

Oth

er E

vent

/Mee

ting

Roo

ms

Soun

d Eq

uipm

ent

Ligh

ting

Equ

ipm

ent

Proj

ecti

on E

quip

men

t

Equi

pmen

t for

Ren

t

Free

Wir

eles

s/In

tern

et

On-

site

Cat

erin

g

Pref

erre

d Ca

tere

rs L

ist

Out

side

Cat

erin

g Al

low

ed

Full

Cate

ring

Kit

chen

War

min

g K

itch

en

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

17% 88% 96% 83% 94% 87% 85% 87% 54% 10% 88% 8%

building creativity



Type Facility


















































Event Studio324



Thea

ter

Ban

quet

Rec

epti

on

1,000 960 -

1,000 540 800

968 420 -

936 420 -

400 500 800

400 240 500

350 220 -

350 220 -

300 300 400

300 300 300

300 250 350

256 120 -

256 120 -

255 190 300

252 120 -

252 120 -

252 120 -

252 120 -

250 250 275

250 250 250

250 250 250

250 160 -

225 280 300

225 144 -

200 215 215

200 160 -

200 150 200

200 120 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

175 175 250

160 100 -

155 110 150

150 300 350

150 100 -

150 96 -

125 - 125

125 150 200

125 78 -

110 90 -

110 60 -

100 100 100

100 100 100

100 80 106

100 56 -

100 55 75Capacities

Uni

que/

His

tori

c Ve

nue

Oth

er E

vent

/Mee

ting

Roo

ms

Soun

d Eq

uipm

ent

Ligh

ting

Equ

ipm

ent

Proj

ecti

on E

quip

men

t

Equi

pmen

t for

Ren

t

Free

Wir

eles

s/In

tern

et

On-

site

Cat

erin

g

Pref

erre

d Ca

tere

rs L

ist

Out

side

Cat

erin

g Al

low

ed

Full

Cate

ring

Kit

chen

War

min

g K

itch

en

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

17% 88% 96% 83% 94% 87% 85% 87% 54% 10% 88% 8%


Type Facility


















































Event Studio324



Thea

ter

Ban

quet

Rec

epti

on

1,000 960 -

1,000 540 800

968 420 -

936 420 -

400 500 800

400 240 500

350 220 -

350 220 -

300 300 400

300 300 300

300 250 350

256 120 -

256 120 -

255 190 300

252 120 -

252 120 -

252 120 -

252 120 -

250 250 275

250 250 250

250 250 250

250 160 -

225 280 300

225 144 -

200 215 215

200 160 -

200 150 200

200 120 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

184 90 -

175 175 250

160 100 -

155 110 150

150 300 350

150 100 -

150 96 -

125 - 125

125 150 200

125 78 -

110 90 -

110 60 -

100 100 100

100 100 100

100 80 106

100 56 -

100 55 75Capacities

Uni

que/

His

tori

c Ve

nue

Oth

er E

vent

/Mee

ting

Roo

ms

Soun

d Eq

uipm

ent

Ligh

ting

Equ

ipm

ent

Proj

ecti

on E

quip

men

t

Equi

pmen

t for

Ren

t

Free

Wir

eles

s/In

tern

et

On-

site

Cat

erin

g

Pref

erre

d Ca

tere

rs L

ist

Out

side

Cat

erin

g Al

low

ed

Full

Cate

ring

Kit

chen

War

min

g K

itch

en

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

17% 88% 96% 83% 94% 87% 85% 87% 54% 10% 88% 8%


Rochester meeting

and events

inventory

building creativity



Rochester meeting

and events

inventory

building creativity


✲  Looking specifically at capacity, the inventory indicates a significant gap for a meeting and event facility that

can accommodate between 400 and 936 people in a theater-style setting.

✲  There is also a gap for a facility that can accommodate between 540 and 960 people banquet-style.

Existing facilities: Rochester meeting + events

inventory


Type Facility












Thea

ter

Ban

quet

Rec

epti

on

1,000 960 -

1,000 540 800

968 420 -

936 420 -

400 500 800

400 240 500

350 220 -

350 220 -

300 300 400

300 300 300

300 250 350

building creativity


✲  Of the facilities inventoried, nine

are unique and/or historic

venues. These include the

facilities at the Kahler Grand

Hotel, Rochester Art Center’s

Mayo Clinic Grand Lobby and

Wells Fargo Auditorium, Assisi

Heights Spirituality Center, and

Studio 324.

✲  Nearly all of the facilities have

sound equipment (96 percent)

and/or projection equipment (94

percent).

✲  Many have lighting equipment,

have equipment available for

rent, and offer free wireless/

internet.

✲  Forty-five facilities have on-site

catering and 28 have a preferred

caterers list. Only five allow

outside caterers.

Existing facilities: Rochester meeting and

events inventory

0

10

20

30

40

50

Unique/Histo

ric Venue

Other E

vent/M

eeting Rooms

Sound Equipment

Lighting Equipment

Projectio

n Equipment

Equipment for R

ent

Free W

ireless/In

tern

et

On-site

Caterin

g

Prefe

rred Cate

rers List

Outside Caterin

g Allowed

Full Cate

ring Kitc

hen

Warming Kitc

hen

Meeting + Event Facility Attributes

building creativity


Existing facilities: conclusions

Performance Facilities

✲  Opportunities exist for increased presented programming, particularly in disciplines such as dance, theatre, film, and comedy.

✲  There is considerable rental activity locally and regionally. Competition for affordable arts facilities in particular is very high.

✲  Most facilities in the inventory are not flexible and do not have features like orchestra pits or fly space. Many, however, are

well equipped.

✲  Facilities tend to be lower in quality with capacities that range from 100 to 400 seats, signifying a gap for a high-quality

facility, particularly in the 600+ capacity range.

Film Facilities

✲  There is an opportunity in the market for a downtown facility that presents film. This need was also addressed in the DMC

Development Plan Draft, which indicated that a particular opportunity might exist for an IMAX or experiential theater.

✲  Presenting opportunities for film exist in multiple genres, particularly classic and local/regional film.

✲  In addition, the community has a theater organ at its disposal, which could allow for other unique programming possibilities.

Meeting + Event Facilities

✲  There is a gap in the meeting and event facility inventory for a seated event space with a capacity between 400 and 900 seats

and banquet space with a capacity between 550 and 900 seats.

✲  More facilities could experiment with flexible catering policies. Anecdotal research, and our experience working in other

diverse communities, indicates that food is a critical part of the event experience in many cultures. Cultural groups like to be

able to hire their own caterers, have access to a kitchen on-site, and/or have the ability to bring food into events themselves.

building creativity


User demand

building creativity


Overview

Over the course of this needs assessment, we gathered information on demand in Rochester for performance space.

This helps us to determine who needs space, what it is needed for, and how often it is needed.

Methodology

To complete this phase of the assessment, we worked with the City of Rochester to identify a number of community

groups and organizations that might have demand for space. Finally, having asked all parties to estimate the number of

times they might use the rehabilitated Chateau Theatre throughout the year for performances, rehearsals, meetings,

and/or events, we created a chart that quantifies demand for the building.

User demand: introduction

building creativity


User demand: summary

Rehearsal/Tech

Performances Other TotalCapacity:

HighCapacity:

LowCapacity: Median

Honors Choirs of Southeast Minnesota 3 3 - 6 - - 1,200Cambodian Cultural Community - - 12 12 - - 750

Mayo Clinic: Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine - 12 56 68 800 600 700

Rochester Convention + Visitors Bureau2 - - 48 48 800 600 700

Choral Arts Ensemble: Chamber Events 4 6 - 10 800 600 700Music Department 10 28 24 62 800 500 650

Rochester Concert Band + Choir 12 12 - 24 800 500 650

Mayo Clinic: Misc. (Meetings, Events, Retreats)1 50 - 130 180 - - 500

Rochester Civic Theatre 16 12 - 28 600 400 500Rochester Vidhyalaya - 5 - 5 600 400 500

University of Minnesota-Rochester - - 36 36 400 300 350Commonweal Theatre - 3 - 3 350 300 325

Rochester Public Library: Youth Services - - 40 40 - - 300

Diversity Council2 - - 8 8 - - 300

Swing Street2 - 3 - 3 - - 300Rochester International Film Group - - 19 19 - - 250

Great River Shakespeare Festival - 4 - 4 300 200 250Indian Cultural Community - - - 0 300 200 250

Rochester Public Library: Reader Services - 24 - 24 250 200 225Northland Words - 30 1 31 300 100 200

Rochester MN Writers: Author Lectures2 - - 4 4 - - 200Rochester Rep 24 20 - 44 200 100 150

Theater du Jour - 8 - 8 150 75 113Total Days of Use: 119 170 378 667 - - -

Footnotes:1Indicates desired standing capacity. 2Capacity estimations made.

Chateau Theatre User Demand

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✲  The demand chart indicates that there is considerable demand for space in Rochester on the part of 23 separate

entities.

✲  In total, potential users have demand for 667 days of use: 119 days for rehearsal/tech, 170 days for performances,

and 378 days for other activities.

✲  Mayo Clinic has the most demand at 180 days. This demand is primarily for meetings, events, and other Clinic

functions. There are, however, an additional 68 days of demand from the Clinic’s Lavins Center for Humanities in

Medicine, 12 of which are for performances.

✲  Other groups with significant demand include the Rochester Convention and Visitors Bureau, City of Rochester

Music Department, Rochester Rep, Rochester Public Library, University of Minnesota-Rochester, and Northland

Words.

✲  In addition to demand, our research also inquired about ideal seating capacity. The chart below quantifies that

demand, suggesting that:

✲  A facility with 500 to 700 seats has the most days of demand at 425 days of use.

✲  The greatest number of groups, however, have demand for a facility with a capacity of 200 to 350 seats.


Chateau Theatre User Demand (23 Groups Total)Rehearsal/

TechPerformances Other Total

Less than 200 seats (2 groups) 24 28 0 52

200 to 350 seats (11 groups) 0 64 108 172500 to 700 seats (8 groups) 92 75 258 425

750+ seats (2 groups) 3 3 12 18

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✲  In addition to a large-capacity facility, local groups also have demand for small performance and teaching space.

✲  The chart below indicates 152 total days of use, although, based on anecdotal research, this is likely a conservative

estimate. Rochester Community Education, for example, could imagine eventually developing a weekly program,

thereby doubling its use of space.

✲  Rochester Vidhyalaya and Mayo Clinic’s Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine have the most demand for small

performance and teaching space.


Performances Teaching Total CapacityRochester Community Education - 24 24 50

Rochester MN Writers: Open Mic 12 - 12 50Rochester Vidhyalaya 56 56 112 45

Diversity Council: Poetry Slams 4 - 4 30

Mayo Clinic: Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine1 - 110 110 15

Total Days of Use: 72 190 262 -Footnotes:1Capacity and use estimations made based on Humanities in Medicine Relocation Vision report.

User Demand: Small Performance + Classroom Space

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✲  City of Rochester Music Department: The Music Department provides the community with music and educational

programs. The Department is responsible for the Down by the Riverside concert series and Thursdays on First and

oversees the Rochester Concert Band and Choir. The ideal facility would have at least some flexibility and would

have proper in-house production systems.

✲  Mayo Clinic: With 34,000+ employees, and an average visitation of 5,700 outpatients a day, Mayo is a hub of activity

in Rochester. Anecdotal evidence indicates gathering space at the Clinic is in high demand for meetings, events,

departmental retreats, and a variety of other functions. In addition, research indicates that Mayo patients spend 70

percent of their time outside of the Clinic in the community. Anecdotal evidence echoed this research, as multiple

interviewees spoke about patient need for activities to do during the day in Rochester. Mayo is interested in a

facility that is multi-use and highly flexible with excellent tech and A/V capabilities.

✲  Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine: The mission of Humanities in Medicine is to integrate arts and other

human culture in the environment at Mayo Clinic through programs that bring art experiences directly to patients.

These programs include bedside arts, music performances, theater and dance events, visual art exhibits, hands-on

workshops, and lectures. But, the Center’s biggest challenge in providing opportunities to Mayo patients, staff, and

students is space. The ideal facility would be a modular, transformable, and interactive space. It would include a

permanent gallery space for temporary art exhibits and classroom space for hands-on programs. Such facilities

would allow the Center to provide programming throughout the day and in the evenings.

✲  Rochester Convention + Visitors Bureau: The Rochester CVB promotes and sells Rochester as an overnight

destination. It has need for an off-site venue for various Convention Center attractions, particularly convention

events interested in a unique venue for an event.

User demand: primary users + potential

partners

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✲  Rochester Public Library: Rochester Public Library is incredibly busy, providing programs to youth, teens, and

adults. Weekly, Reader Services alone hosts 40 different events. The Library, however, is short on space: not only do

library departments come up against one another for facilities, but they compete with community groups looking

for affordable meeting space as well. The ideal facility for would have a flexible floor, excellent sound and A/V, and

high-speed internet. The Library would have regular need for space both throughout the day and in the evenings.

✲  Great River Shakespeare Festival: Great River Shakespeare Festival is a professional Equity theater based in

Winona, MN. Great River currently runs a summer season in Winona, but is interested in extending operations to

Rochester. Leadership imagines this would start with one production, but that it would eventually grow into a

multiple production season. The ideal facility would be flexible with excellent sound and lighting. As Great River

expands its educational programming, the organization could eventually have demand for classroom space as well.

✲  Rochester International Film Group: Rochester International Film Group (RIFG) presents an international film

festival and weekly film series. They could partner with the Chateau to present regular film programming. RIFG’s

ideal facility would have raked seating, excellent sound, and projection capabilities.

✲  Rochester Community Education: Rochester Community Education (RCE) offers daytime adult education programs.

Classes are offered as one-offs or as a series and often last two hours. Of the program’s 4,000 enrollees, about 100

are Mayo patients, a number that leadership believes would increase if classes were offered in a centrally located

facility like the Chateau rather than a few miles outside of town. RCE’s ideal space would have the basics of a

smart classroom and good sound.


partners

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✲  Cultural Community: Rochester has a very large cultural community that has significant need for affordable

gathering space. Flexibility is key for these users, both physically and in regards to operating policy (i.e. catering

policies that allow them to work with a caterer of their own choosing or cook food themselves and bring it in). Many

of these groups would like to have kitchen space.

✲  Community-at-large: Anecdotal research indicates that the Rochester community is in need of casual gathering

space—a public place where locals and visitors can go to sit, reflect or engage with others, and maybe have a cup a

coffee. Multiple interviewees felt that the Barnes and Noble was a good use for the Chateau Theatre—not because

they had a particular affinity for the store (or even reading), but because it was a shared, neutral public place in a

beautiful setting that was accessible and available to anyone.


partners

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User demand: utilization models

✲  Generally, there a few key utilization models that activate a space like the Chateau Theatre. They include:

1.  The multiple user model: Multiple user groups using the facility for rehearsals, performances, meetings,

events, and more;

2.  The key partnerships model: Two or three primary users activating the facility with a complementary set

of activities;

3.  The dominant user model: One organization provides most of the facility’s programming, while leaving

availability for community use;

4.  The exclusive user model: An organization is the only organization to use the facility;

5.  Presenting for the market: The facility manager or a partner books touring arts and entertainment in

response to perceived audience demand; and,

6.  The schoolhouse model: The facility manager and partners program the venue with educational programs.

✲  It is important to think of these models as being on a continuum rather than as six mutually exclusive options,

particularly given that how, and by whom, a facility is activated may change over time.

✲  The question, then, is, how do you effectively plan for a theater such that it is able to adapt to the needs of new and

different users over time rather than preclude them from use?

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User demand: conclusions

✲  There is ample demand in the market for a rehabilitated Chateau, particularly for a facility with 500 to 700 seats.

✲  Demand is divided between cultural and meeting and event use and comes from a range of potential users: Mayo,

arts groups, cultural groups, community groups, and so on. And, it is for all hours of the day: morning, afternoon,

and night.

✲  There is also demand for small performance and teaching space. This demand is currently estimated at 262 days

of use a year, but is likely much higher.

✲  Furthermore, there are multiple partnership opportunities with entities like the City of Rochester Music

Department, Mayo Clinic, Mayo Clinic’s Lavins Center for Humanities in Medicine, the Rochester CVB, and Rochester

Public Library.

✲  Resident group opportunities also exist with arts organizations like Great River Shakespeare Festival and

Rochester International Film Group.

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Benefits + impacts

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✲  Rehabilitating the Chateau Theatre is in line a number of community goals, as indicated below.

✲  Downtown Rochester Master Plan Report (2010): The Downtown Rochester Master Plan presents a vision for

downtown Rochester. Among its goals for the community, the plan aims to:

✲  “Build upon historic buildings and landmarks that contribute to Rochester’s history and culture”;

✲  “Create a vibrant, economically healthy downtown that is walkable, liveable, and [that] promotes

human interaction”; and,

✲  It identifies an opportunity for a Riverfront + Arts District.

✲  DMC Development Plan, Vol. II (Sec 5-6)—Draft: This draft of the DMC Development Plan identifies Peace

Plaza as the “true heart” of the DMC. It argues that, “Enhanced public areas and new development would

strengthen Peace Plaza as the symbolic heart of the city with new attractions and features at key places

along its length”.

✲  The plan makes the Chateau Theater a crucial part of the overall design and cultural experiences

offered in Peace Plaza.

✲  Goals that could be impacted by the rehabilitation of the Chateau include:

✲  “Design open spaces and social hubs (public indoor and outdoor spaces) that encourage social

interaction and connectivity,” and

✲  “Focus on strategies to attract, retain, and foster the development of a highly skilled

workforce.”

Benefits + impacts

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✲  Potential benefits and impacts, drawn from anecdotal research, include:

✲  Providing the community with a gathering space that is not associated with a religion;

✲  Supplementing arts education in the schools through presented programs and educational

programming opportunities;

✲  Creating a space where Mayo patients can find things to do during the day;

✲  Drawing traffic to downtown Rochester during the weekend; and,

✲  Adding value to the community.

Benefits + impacts

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✲  Other benefits and impacts include:

✲  Sense of Place + Quality of Life: Spaces with programs that engage the public, particularly facilities for

arts, education, and outreach programs, have potential to contribute to the character and identity of a

community. These types of programs and facilities provide opportunities for socialization, enhance the

sense of community, and provide hands-on experiences that are attractive to regional residents—all

contributing to the community's quality of life. In Rochester, there appears to be some concern that the

values and characteristics that have defined the local community and its history are being lost to new

development and the growth of Mayo. A rehabilitated Chateau could symbolize the marriage of both worlds,

providing a space where Rochester locals, Mayo employees, and patients all come together to see local

artists or participate in classes and workshops.

✲  Quality of Workforce + Corporate Recruitment: The DMC is projected to bring 35,000 to 45,000 new jobs to

Minnesota. Studies suggest that strong arts and cultural communities rank among the top factors for

decision makers when considering relocation for employment opportunities. These communities are

considered heavily because they indicate an educated workforce and high quality of life. The presence of a

strong cultural community in Rochester could therefore be major component to reaching that 35,000 to

45,000 new jobs goal.

✲  Neighborhood + Community Development: Research has shown that community arts programs have

enhanced and improved community development. The arts enable individuals and groups to express

themselves, and in the process, become more involved in contributing to the development of their

community.

✲  Teaching Innovation + Creativity: Finally, the teaching of the arts is now being recognized as a fundamental

need for the North American economy and its workforce, given the automation of many jobs and growing

competition from lesser-developed economies.

Benefits + impacts

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Conclusions +

recommendations

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All of this research indicates that there is a case to rehabilitate the Chateau Theatre based on:

✲  The Market: The market is growing, well-educated, and diverse in age, race, and income, all of which indicates a propensity to

support the arts. There is also a very large, and constant, non-resident market with ample free time. Research indicates that,

like the resident market, this market is well-educated and has disposable income. Finally, Rochester is at the threshold of a

major development project. If successful, the DMC could bring significant growth to the city.

✲  Existing Facilities: Arts and cultural facilities in Rochester pose a number of challenges to the community’s arts groups: they are

either too expensive, too big, or too busy. At the Library, for example, in-house departments often find themselves competing

with one another for space in addition to multiple other community groups. This leaves a gap in the market for a high-quality

performance, film, and meeting and event space, particularly one with 600+ seats. There is additional demand for small

performance and teaching space.

✲  User Demand: User demand for a rehabilitated Chateau equates to 667 days of use for performances, events, and happenings.

Unlike most arts spaces, this demand is not just for evening hours and weekends—it is for events that can take place at all hours

of the day. To accommodate the greatest number of users, the facility will need to have variable rental rates and considerable

flexibility—in both functionality and operating policies.

✲  Potential Partners: Partnership opportunities exist amongst multiple community and cultural entities. Mayo and City of

Rochester divisions like the Music Department and Public Library will be key to the project’s success.

✲  Community Benefits + Impacts: A rehabilitated Chateau has the potential to contribute to multiple community goals,

particularly as the city moves toward the creation of the DMC. In particular, as the ‘heart’ of the Heart of the City, the Chateau is

uniquely positioned to become the confluence of all things Rochester; a place where the community’s history merges with the

DMC’s new developments, where patients mingle with locals, and where cultural communities meet and share practices.

Conclusions

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Our recommendations are as follows:

1.  Rehabilitate the Chateau Theatre into an accessible, and highly flexible, community hub and performance space.

Rochester’s arts groups are in need of space to create and perform, the cultural community is in need of gathering

space, Mayo patients need somewhere to go, and entities like Mayo and the CVB are interested in a unique, non-

traditional events space. While these needs have a few overlapping space requirements, some are specific to each

group of users. In addition, users have demand for a space that they can have access to throughout the day. Therefore:

✲  The Chateau should be as flexible and functional as possible so that it can be used by the Lavins Center for

Humanities in Medicine in the morning for a workshop and a performance at noon, hold a Rochester Community

Education lecture or Library program in the afternoon, and be used that same night for a Music Department

concert or Mayo Center event. Physical characteristics for such a space might include flexibility at the orchestra

level so that it can accommodate tables and chairs, a partial fly to be used by some theater and dance groups,

decent wingspace, and acoustics that are oriented towards amplified sound but that can work well for unamplified

sound, too.

✲  The facility should have as many seats as possible.

✲  There should be excellent food and beverage options (perhaps even a café) that are available throughout the day.

✲  More than a traditional performing arts space, Chateau operations should resemble a public space. It should be

activated with happenings throughout the day, but should also have designated space where both locals and

visitors can go to grab a coffee and simply sit. In a sense, the Chateau should function as an indoor extension of

the Peace Plaza (or vice versa).

Recommendations

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rec. 1, example 1: Tower Theatre | Bend, OR

✲  Known as “Bend’s Living Room”, the Tower

Theatre is a cultural and community hub

✲  Originally built in 1940 as a film facility

✲  Operated as a cinema until 1994, when it

was purchased privately

✲  Although attempts were made to operate

it as a multi-use venue, physical and

organizational challenge’s forced the

building to close in 1996

✲  Grass-roots efforts, multiple studies, and

a successful $4.2 million capital campaign

led to the theater’s reopening in 2004

✲  Today, the Tower’s capacity is 466,

although the first three rows of the

orchestra can be removed

✲  The facility has a balcony, motorized

orchestra pit, high quality sound and

lighting, a projector, and 35mm projection

system

✲  Programming includes films, community

productions, and presented productions

✲  Education and outreach programs reach

13,000 students in Central Oregon

✲  The building is owned and operated by the

Tower Theatre Foundation

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rec. 1, example 2: Charline McCombs

Empire Theatre | San Antonio, TX

✲  Originally opened in 1913

✲  Designed to look like a European palazzo

✲  Operated as a vaudeville house and

motion picture theater

✲  The facility was extensively damaged by a

flood in 1921 and eventually closed in

1978

✲  Was developed as part of the

redevelopment of the Majestic Theatre

✲  Reopened in 1998 following a $5 million

renovation

✲  The 856-seat Empire has a flexible

seating system on its main floor that

allows for theatre-style seating and

banquet and cabaret seating options

✲  The facility is owned by the City and

operated by ACE Theatrical Group

✲  Programming includes a local music

series and presented shows

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2.  In addition to making it the heart of the ‘Heart of the City’, make the Chateau the anchor facility of an arts and

culture district or trail, one that includes the Armory as a home for Rochester’s small arts and cultural groups

and independent artists. There is an acute need for small organization support in Rochester. The Chateau will

be able to meet the needs of some of the community’s arts groups, but not all of them. We would recommend

that the City give RACC’s Armory proposal significant thought, particularly within context of developing an arts

and cultural district in downtown Rochester and the DMC.

Recommendations

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rec. 2, example 1: Wausau River District |

Wausau, WI

✲  Wausau’s River District spans both sides

of the Wisconsin River

✲  Operated by a nonprofit, the District

works in conjunction with Wausau’s

Business Improvement District

✲  The District was formed in 2002 after the

City was selected by the Wisconsin

Department of Commerce to participate in

the Wisconsin Main Street Program

✲  The district is anchored by The Grand

Theater, an historic theater built in 1899

✲  The theater hosts more than 300 events a

year and defines itself as a presenter of

touring entertainment, an arts hub for

local arts groups, an arts education

resource, and a local arts agency

✲  Other District features include a Center

for Visual Arts, galleries, multiple bars and

restaurants, and shops

✲  In addition, the District hosts multiple

events each year, including First

Thursdays, community trick-or-treat, a

Downtown Employee Appreciation Week,

and Small Business Saturday

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rec. 2, example 2: ACE District | Cedar

Rapids, IA

✲  The Arts Culture and Entertainment (ACE)

District is a cultural district overlay

developed to connect the City’s multiple

districts, downtown core, and NewBo

Main Street

✲  Developed out of a city visioning process

that found that Cedar Rapids has multiple

districts defined by use

✲  Overarching goal is to connect Cedar

Rapids’ various pieces to allow for

collective promotion and to create a

concentration of assets and future

development

✲  Programming and activities include city

beautification projects, public art works,

business recruitment, and fundraising

✲  The district is overseen by the ACE

Steering Committee, a volunteer

committee responsible for taking on

projects that will impact the district

✲  On one end, the District is anchored by

the Paramount Theatre, a 1,690-seat

historic theater that is owned by the City

of Cedar Rapids and operated by

VenuWorks and Orchestra Iowa

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3.  Incentivize DMC developers to include arts and cultural components in their projects. As the DMC takes

shape, we would encourage the City and DMC to incentivize arts-friendly developments that reserve space for

public art pieces, fill halls with the work of local artists, or, maybe, even include artist work or teaching space.

Such efforts will help insure that Rochester’s small arts groups continue to have a presence downtown

regardless of what happens with the DMC.

Recommendations

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rec. 3, example 1: The 52nd Street Project +

Archstone Clinton | New York, NY

✲  52nd Street Project (The Project) is a

theatre program for kids between the

ages of 9 and 18 living in Hell’s Kitchen

✲  In 2012, the New York City Department of

Cultural Affairs invited The Project

become one of three arts tenants in

Archstone Clinton, an apartment complex

that was in development

✲  The facility features a 150-seat black-box

theater with flexible seating, a lobby,

gallery, and a terrace

✲  Other spaces include two rehearsal

rooms, an art booth, an electrics booth,

and two dressing rooms

✲  The project was completed in 2010 and

cost $20 million

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rec. 3, example 2: Cultural Center + Civic

Campus | Pompano Beach, FL

✲  Pompano Beach Community

Redevelopment Agency developed a plan

to revitalize historic, downtown Pompano

✲  The plan suggested a civic campus that

included a new Broward County Library

✲  At the same time, the Cultural Arts

Committee was developing a partnership

with three regional municipalities and

suggested that an auditorium be

developed on the second floor of the

library

✲  The Pompano Beach Cultural Center is

planned to function as as the heart of the

new library

✲  Covering 5,000 square feet, it will include

performance space and event space, an

exhibition gallery, and a digital arts and

media center

✲  The performance space will have

retractable raked seating

✲  The project is currently in development

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Discussion

Questions

✲  Have we fairly described the situation and the opportunities for the rehabilitation of the

Chateau Theatre?

✲  What additional input and information is needed?

✲  Are our recommendations in line with your sense of needs?

August 2016 Chateau Theatre Reuse Study: Needs...

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