AUBURN - The Cayuga County Parks and Trails Commission unanimously approved a motion Wednesday to consider putting a 600-seat theater at Emerson Park.
The decision came shortly after Ed Sayles announced that Musical Theatre Festival Inc. had no intention of using the pavilion at Emerson Park as one of its venues. Sayles, the producing manager for the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, is in charge of providing artistic consulting for Musical Theatre Festival, Inc., which has contracted MGP to provide those services.
“We're just in the process of seeing who would like to see us as neighbors,” Sayles said.
The Musical Theatre Festival board is considering putting the 600-seat venue either at Emerson Park or somewhere in the city of Auburn, Sayles said.
Bill Dorr, president of the board, said that the board is trying to find a good place to put the building.
The board approached the Parks and Trails Commission to see what the county thinks, he said.
“We're still very open-minded about it,” Dorr said. “We're not sure where the best place to have it is or what places would be available.”
Emerson Park has 135 acres of unused space and at least a few places where a new building could go, said Parks and Trails Commission chairman Gary Duckett.
If the Musical Theatre Festival board decides to put the 600-seat theater in Emerson Park, it could go by the Ward W. O#'Hara Agricultural Museum, on Deauville island or behind Auburn High School, Duckett said.
Commission member Sam Giangreco believes that having an additional theater at Emerson Park is a good idea.
“The potential here is enormous,” Giangreco said. “You've got several locations, all of which are fabulous ... Ed's done a great job so far. It's a no-brainer and it's bringing in revenue to the park. If we put up another building, it would be that much more successful.”
Member Gino Alberici said he would endorse anything that would bring people to the community, while commission member Jim Young cautioned that there would be issues to work out no matter where the theater goes, in terms of Emerson Park.
“Each site is probably going to have its advantages and disadvantages,” Young said.
Sayles said the board recognizes there are all kinds of things that have to be looked at. Ultimately, though, “people could come to Auburn and have the experience of going to Manhattan.”
Staff writer Gitana Mirochnik can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or gitana.mirochnik@lee.net
“We're just in the process of seeing who would like to see us as neighbors,” Sayles said.
The Musical Theatre Festival board is considering putting the 600-seat venue either at Emerson Park or somewhere in the city of Auburn, Sayles said.
Bill Dorr, president of the board, said that the board is trying to find a good place to put the building.
The board approached the Parks and Trails Commission to see what the county thinks, he said.
“We're still very open-minded about it,” Dorr said. “We're not sure where the best place to have it is or what places would be available.”
Emerson Park has 135 acres of unused space and at least a few places where a new building could go, said Parks and Trails Commission chairman Gary Duckett.
If the Musical Theatre Festival board decides to put the 600-seat theater in Emerson Park, it could go by the Ward W. O#'Hara Agricultural Museum, on Deauville island or behind Auburn High School, Duckett said.
Commission member Sam Giangreco believes that having an additional theater at Emerson Park is a good idea.
“The potential here is enormous,” Giangreco said. “You've got several locations, all of which are fabulous ... Ed's done a great job so far. It's a no-brainer and it's bringing in revenue to the park. If we put up another building, it would be that much more successful.”
Member Gino Alberici said he would endorse anything that would bring people to the community, while commission member Jim Young cautioned that there would be issues to work out no matter where the theater goes, in terms of Emerson Park.
“Each site is probably going to have its advantages and disadvantages,” Young said.
Sayles said the board recognizes there are all kinds of things that have to be looked at. Ultimately, though, “people could come to Auburn and have the experience of going to Manhattan.”
Staff writer Gitana Mirochnik can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or gitana.mirochnik@lee.net
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