It appears that Cayuga County may “use the Emerson Park pavilion or build another structure within the park to use as a venue for the annual musical theater festival being developed by a group of local business leaders.”

We applaud the members of A Call to Action: A Blueprint for our Region's Future who have a theater festival as one of their goals but why do we need to destroy the current uses of the pavilion or build another structure - that the county can ill afford - when we can kill two birds with one stone instead?

First, why don#'t we refurbish the 1,702 seat Schine's theater? This in itself should help revitalize downtown Auburn, the surrounding areas, increase tourism, etc.

Voila! We now would have this beautiful historic venue for use as part of the proposed annual musical theater festival - and much more.

Next, the repair of the marquee should be the immediate priority because it's an eyesore, roosting place for pigeons and a disgrace as it now stands.

We believe that the Cayuga County Arts Council should get new estimates that would now include replication of the theater innards with materials that are “close” to what the originals were and not try to be renovation purists.

We may be missing something, but $6.5 million for 1,702 new seats, carpeting, paint, lighting, marquee repairs, HVAC, etc. seems to be just a bit on the outrageous side.

We already have an existing structure with a new roof, new brickwork and doors on the front, so that's done. (But could the contractor who did the new doors and frames, please replace the peeling and rotted wood around these new doors and frames?)

We believe that if the City of Auburn, Cayuga County, the Cayuga County Arts Council, the Stardust and other foundations, federal and state governments, local businesses, etc., put their differences aside and work vigorously together, this renovation can be accomplished in our lifetime - and hopefully sooner - and for much less than $6.5 million.

It's your money.

Bill Balyszak

Fleming