WCBM’s Tom Marr interviewed “The Guardian of The Senator” Friday about topics involving the fate of our historic & last single-screen theatre in Baltimore, including:
- How the city & state poured grant money into the revitalization of Belvedere Square (yet all the help the theatre ever got were loans).
- How The Senator Theatre was THE economic anchor for the north Baltimore/York Road corridor while Belvedere Square sat empty (and it is during this time that much of the debt now saddled with the theatre began)
- The prospects of The Senator becoming a non-profit, multipurpose arts & entertainment venue (like many other historic theatres across the nation have successfully become), which Mr. Kiefaber has been talking about for at least two years now.
- Baltimore City government’s mishandling of the situation:
- How it could have already had an historic theatre-friendly new owner already if CHAP had kept their nose out of the theatre.
- How District 4 Councilman Bill Henry could still stand up for what the community wants for the theatre’s future.
- How Tom Kiefaber has been made the scapegoat & taken “sound-bite beatings” for the theatre’s situation & how it certainly hasn’t helped his family’s financial situation.
- How there appear to be certain behind-the-scenes parties interested in obtaining The SENATOR property.
- The forthcoming public foreclosure auction (July 21, 2009):
- A real possibility that a religious group could walk away from said auction as the next owner of our historic last single-screen theatre (many have the money & would not have issues with the ill-timed CHAP rulings).
- Councilman Henry insists that NO ONE will show to challenge the city’s minimum $950,000 bid for this historic landmark!
Mr. Marr urged listeners to call 410-396-3100 (Mayor’s Office) to show support for the future of the theatre as a non-profit & then insist that Councilman Henry not be “the caboose” on this issue.
District 4 Councilman Bill Henry
One caller to the show stated she did so. The Mayor’s Office was quite helpful, but when she was transferred to Bill Henry he reaffirmed the position that no one will show for the public auction, no church group will own the theatre & that Tom Marr is just ‘riling folks up’… Mr. Marr asked that the councilman show leadership and fight for the community’s vision for the theatre. He also invited Councilman Henry come on the show this coming Monday (June 22) for discussions!
Listen for yourself at http://www.4shared.com/file/112907158/501ddad5/tom_marr_show_complete.html
Friends of The Senator Theatre 