City to run Tift Theatre

Homepage

March 12, 2013

City to run Tift Theatre

Latasha Everson CNHI The Tifton Gazette Tue Mar 12, 2013, 09:14 PM EDT

TIFTON — The city of Tifton has now taken over the Tift Theatre, which was owned and managed by the Downtown Development Authority.

After much discussion from the City Council concerning whether the city should or should not acquire the local theater, the city decided at a recent city council meeting to take over the theater in a three to two vote with Mayor Jamie Cater, Vice Mayor Johnny Terrell and Councilman Chris Parrott voting in favor and councilwomen Julie Smith and Marianna Keesee voting against it.

During the meeting, each member voiced their opinion about the issue before voting.

Keesee said, “I applaud our staff for gathering information and suggestions for spending the new hotel/motel tax dollars. I think the Tift Theatre is an important part of a dynamic, thriving downtown community. I think the management and ownership of the Tift is right where it ought to be, with the DDA.

“I would support the city’s new half penny from the hotel/motel tax being spent on the Tift, but let the DDA administer these new funds. Let the tourism association vote on the use of its new half cent so that the DDA will know if it can or cannot utilize this funding. Both the DDA and the Tourism Board have valuable community servants. Trust them. Give a new manager with new resources and possibly consultant help a chance to operate at a profit under the DDA. I would anticipate about 24 months needed.”

According to Keesee, in 1981, the city council created the DDA. In 1991, the DDA was restructured to serve two primary facets: to operate the Main Street Program and to be responsible for the operation of the Tift Theatre. She said the theater has always been under the DDA.

The DDA is a public/private authority structured to focus on development in downtown Tifton. It’s instrumental in recruiting residential, commercial, cultural and governmental activities for the downtown area.

Among other concerns that Keesee had about the city taking over the theater, she said, “Both the City Council and the DDA are working on financing for renovating the Myon Hotel building so that it will again be safe for city offices and be the anchor building for downtown Tifton. The City Council does not need to add another downtown building to its responsibility.”

She said, “To add another financial liability to the city is a project I will not support. I want to make it clear to the citizens of Tifton and especially the citizens I represent in District 1 that I do not support the city’s taking the Tift Theatre from the DDA and will not vote for what I consider to be fiscal irresponsibility.”

Parrott, however, said the theater could be self-sustainable and generate money under the city. He noted, “I’m not saying it has not been done in the past.”

“Money is given to the DDA every year, and [the theater] is not getting back enough money as it can get. I think the city can make it self-sustainable,” he said

Parrott said the DDA is doing their job, but they could do an even better job if the city free them up from being over the theater.

“The theater brings people in. It’s a win-win,” Parrott said, agreeing with some points that were made by Keesee. “But, every year the city gives them (the DDA) a grant and part of it is used for the theater.”

He said however, the Tift Theatre has been losing money.

According to a plan, which included prospects on the theater, that was developed by City Clerk Rona Martin, the hotel/motel tax was budgeted into that plan. However, the city won’t receive the tax this year.

Martin commented that they need to reevaluate. She said she would love to see the theater become a success.

“We need to set it up for success, not failure,” she added.

Smith, who was not in favor of the city taking over the Tift Theatre, said, “Downtown Tifton has a significant impact on Tifton and Tift County’s tax base and has long been an example across the southeast of a community effort that is yielding positive results.”

She addressed many facets of services that downtown Tifton offers, as well as the products that are indicative of a successful district. She said a large part of downtown Tifton is located in District 4.

“As the representative of District 4, I am in support of ongoing efforts by our Downtown Development Authority and others to continue to grow and improve this vital part of our community. The Tift Theatre is currently owned by the DDA and is a significant feature of what makes our downtown successful. In recent years, the Tift has seen some challenges.”

Vice Mayor Johnny Terrell agreed with Parrott. He asked why “money (is) being put in and things are not working out.” He did note, however, that maybe it was not the right time for the city to take over the theater. In the end, he voted in favor of the city taking over the theater, along with Parrott and Cater. Cater said most of downtown is in Terrell’s district; Terrell took a stand for his district at the meeting.

Cater said he believes that by the city taking over the theater, he trusts that it’s going to be a good business venture and that it will work as well as the senior center.

He said thanks to Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax V, it is now paying the City Net debt that crippled the city’s finances way before the economic disaster of September 2008.

He said, “That money has so far freed up $350,000 back to general fund presently.”

Cater said the proof of the success of the theater will come from City Manager Larry Riner, Martin and staff who make “our town and senior center so successful.”

Cater advised he has already talked to local singer John Berry and Harold Chambers with the DDA Board with plans of filling the seats at the theater.

“I know the potential,” he said. “It could make the money.”

Even though the council saw differently on who should be over the theater, they all agreed that they wanted the best for the community as a whole.

Parrott said, “We all want the same things.”

Text Only

Homepage

Search Results

City to run Tift Theatre

Site Map

Contact Us