SENATOR Theatre RFP: If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention!

Friends of The Senator and Citizens of Baltimore,

The bottom line in this, folks, is to help you understand that the city may take a considerable amount of your tax dollars and hand it to private business to use in a failed business model.

Does that sound like a “Get In On It” deal?

If that doesn’t make you angry right off, read on because you should know about a situation where Baltimore City government may approve a plan presented by the BDC that gives nearly three-quarters of a $1 million to a private business and the keys to the historic Senator Theatre for a $1 per year lease.

Sounds like a bad joke, doesn’t it?… Especially in these times, but it is not!

Taxpayers in a city facing proposed cuts to essential and emergency services expected to write checks amounting to $700,000 to the private business owners of The Charles Theatre.

1. $100,000 grant – money that will never be repaid to the city coffers
2. $600,000 loan (2% for 20 yrs)

We’re talking about an historic landmark in which the city already has invested approximately $1 million!

Think about it. They’re proposing going further into the hole, with taxpayer dollars, heading toward the $2 million mark in hopes the Cusacks can make the theatre viable and self-sustaining…

AND, considering the city will remain the landord, the building will be off the tax rolls and the city coffers will only get a cut IF the theatre is able to generate over $2 million per year – and even at that only 5%.

“In our dreams we would like to see that, but I don’t think we put much weight in that” coming to fruition, [Debra] Devan said.” (BDC Board Member in Balto. Sun)

Some of you are thinking, “Okay, well maybe they can pull it off, The Charles shows cool things and the owner has good industry connections”, consider the following:

• The proposed bold, new revenue-generating format?… Not the art or classic films fans of The Charles know and love, but a continuation of 1st-run blockbuster features (Just like former-owner Tom Kiefaber used to do! You remember him – the guy who always got criticized for this?)
  Can we see a show of hands that believe this will draw any more people this time around?…
  And let’s be clear here, those of you who WANT 1st-run pictures back at The Senator, put your hands down. We count ourselves among those who miss 1st run films at The Senator, but this is about viability, people!
• The man behind the plan doesn’t even sound very confident about the venture
  “Maybe it doesn’t work.” – James “Buzz” Cusack, Charles Theatre owner in MD Daily Record
• Perhaps there are reasons for that
  • At the Senator RFP Public Meeting last fall an attendee asked Cusack if he could cite anyplace else in the country where his plan has worked. His response? “No.”
  • At the same meeting another asked, given the fact that the majority of historic redevelopment experts state the best chance of survival of theatres like The Senator are for them to become multipurpose arts, education & entertainment venues owned by non-profits, why he thought his plan would work – the response was, “I don’t know”.
  • Clearance. Something that, particularly independent theatre owners, have had to deal with quite some time.
    When a film Cusack has at The Senator has declining ticket sales he can be blocked from moving it down to The Charles by the Landmark Theatres downtown, because of their proximity. This means the movie is stuck at The Senator and the owner loses considerable money without a fresh attraction.

If handing over all that public money to a business that is likely not to succeed hasn’t already teed you off, consider the fact that the plan also includes demolition of portions of the walls of the iconic circular outer lobby and the mens’ and ladies’ lounges and restrooms? These are distinct historical/architectural features Cusack proposes to destroy in the city’s $1 million – $1.7 million investment… Mr. Cusack sits on the board of the city’s Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation. Ironic, isn’t it?

We strongly encourage you to let Mayor Rawlings-Blake (or use our letter), Comptroller Joan Pratt and the Board of Estimates know how you feel on this issue!

SENATOR Theatre RFP: BDC Goes with “Last Man Standing” logic

Even though experts have stated that historic theatres, like Baltimore’s internationally recognized SENATOR Theatre, have the best chance of survival as non-profit, multi-purpose arts & entertainment venues, the Baltimore Business Journal & Baltimore Sun report that the BDC will recommend The Cusack plan to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

This is a plan that turns ownership over to privately-ownership continuing the same format the previous owner came under criticism by many for maintaining, that of a first-run movie house.

On top of that, according to the BBJ, the Cusacks plan to ask the city for a $100,000 grant and $600,000 loan – again, something critics claimed (many times incorrectly) that the former owner was guilty – asking for public funds to run a private business!

BDC board member Debra Hunt Devan said Charles Theatre owner James “Buzz” Cusack Jr. has proposed to lease the Senator for $1 a year for the next 40 years…

Cusack also asked for a $100,000 grant from the city and another $600,000 loan, funds he would use to renovate the structure.

–Balto. Business Journal (April 22, 2010)

So, does this make sense to anyone?
Public subsidy of a private business
(more than former owner Tom Kiefaber received?!)
to continue the same format as the previous owner?…

It’s said the mayor and the Board of Estimates will have to approve the recommendation before final negotiations can happen.

Now more than ever you should make your voice heard to the Mayor’s Office about this situation.

So, join those who have sent letters to the mayor about a proper evaluation of plans for the future of the theatre, like:

The National Trust for Historic Preservation

The Theatre Historical Society of America

Baltimore Heritage, Inc.

Preservation Maryland

SENATOR Theatre RFP: So, what will it be, BDC?!

Last we heard the Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) could be planning to make a recommendation on the future of The Senator Theatre as early as this Thursday, April 22, 2010 to Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Given that WTMD suddenly withdrew their plan, the question hanging in the air is:

Will the BDC see sense and restart the process with hands-on guidance from historic theatre preservation and exhibition experts
or
will they try to sell the mayor on the remaining plan simply because, right now, that’s all they have left on the table?

Brief review of the situation:

• We requested, from the BDC, copies of the responses to questions they emailed to two historic theatre experts. This was denied access to responses since, although they did not include financial data, were deemed “confidential” by BDC leadership.
• Our letters  calling on Mayor Rawlings-Blake to step in and find out why the BDC is not actively engaging experts in hands-on evaluations of submitted proposals have been echoed in letters to the mayor from:
  • The National Trust for Historic Preservation
  • The Theatre Historical Society of America
  • Baltimore Heritage, Inc.
  • Preservation Maryland
  • Over 160 individuals using our online form.
• Two requests to Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s administration for a meeting regarding the situation have gone unanswered.
• The city already has around $1 million invested in this project – Is it going to be wasted?

SENATOR Theatre: Animal Collective’s ODDSAC coming!

A true physical experience, ODDSAC turns the theatre into a sensory submarine.

Join Friends of The SENATOR and Fortunes5Fifty  for the Baltimore Premiere of

ODDSAC

A Film By

Animal Collective

Director/Writer: Danny Perez

Cast

Josh Dibb, Noah Lennox, David Portner, Brian Weitz

ODDSAC is a feature film collaboration between the band Animal Collective and filmmaker Danny Perez that was co-conceived by and stars Animal Collective, whose 2009 album “Merriweather Post Pavilion” was named album of the year by SPIN, Entertainment Weekly, and Pitchfork, and topped critic’s end of year lists worldwide. ODDSAC is a dense and surreal layering of audio and visual elements that eschews conventional narrative to create a visceral, immersive experience.

ODDSAC features an original score with new songs from the band and complex digital manipulation by Perez, a debut filmmaker and visual artist known for his concert projections with musicians such as Black Dice and Panda Bear. ODDSAC represents a new synthesis of music and film, a “visual album” whose songs will not be released in any other form. ODDSAC is the result of over four years of intense collaboration between Perez and the band.

Interview with Anco & director Perez @ Cinemablend

Collaborators Animal Collective and Danny Perez have stretched their respective artistries into a compelling visual portrayal of music and mood
Angela Zimmerman, Crawdaddy Magazine

“Utterly captivating and well worth the hour-long ride for any fan that wants a peek into the band’s creative madness”
Mike Mineo, Obscure Sound via MOG Music Network

“Both playful and terrifying, ODDSAC feels like a natural extension of Animal Collective’s work”
Katey Rich, Cinemablend

“I cannot wait to get my hands on this visual album so that I may enjoy it again and again”
–Angela H. Brown, Slugmag.com

ALL AGES SHOW
Tickets available online now

$15 (includes admission to after-party)

SENATOR Theatre RFP: BDC denies FOTS request to release theatre expert’s response

FOTS has been advocating for more than a year that a successful future for The Senator required heeding the advice of historic theatre redevelopment experts, like John Lind of Venuetech. When FOTS was invited to send a representative to the BDC Advisory Panel we were optimistic that the BDC had taken this to heart and the process would include hands-on guidance from such experts.

However, FOTS representative, Laura Perkins soon found that while the BDC eventually did reach out to the League of  Historic American Theatres (LHAT) for input, it was only to send a brief list of questions to two members, not ask for interactive, hands-on participation.

Yes, TWO LHAT experts… This does not include historic building rehab expert Marty Azola.

One is John Bell, CEO of Florida’s famed historic Tampa Theatre whose responses to questions posed by the BDC (via email) were answered and distributed to Advisory Panel members. It is our understanding that Mr. Bell was never allowed to review the proposals, but had very definite opinions about what works and does not work when it comes to historic theatres like The Senator. But, what were Bell’s opinions?

Tom Harris, FOTS president, requested the release of John Bell’s expert assessment of the only remaining RFP on the table. He noted that it would be understood if references to respondents’ financial data, if any were present, would first have to be removed. However, the BDC leadership still denied this request for reasons of “confidentiality”.

Appearances are then, at the BDC secrecy for a specific purpose is termed “confidentiality”.

The responses from the second as yet unnamed LHAT board member (which we only recently learned existed) apparently were NEVER given to the Advisory Panel members. Our understanding is that these included evaluations so scathing in their professional feasibility assessments that BDC leaders decided not to share them with the panel.

Balto. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

It is therefore FOTS opinion that witholding expert input from the panel and, moreover, from the public displays alarming violations of proper procedure, transparency and the public trust in a situation where over a million dollars of taxpayer funds have been invested thus far. More examples of how The Senator RFP process is in shambles and why it is imperative that Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s administration steps in immediately.

Stay tuned as the situation evolves.