Tulsa PAC: Shows Will Go On During Expected Improve Our Tulsa Renovations

Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum is asking voters to fund "Improve our Tulsa" for another four years. Part of the money from the $772 million tax renewal plan would mean a brand new Performing Arts Center.

If voters pass the Improve Our Tulsa package this summer, the shows will go on as the PAC goes through the massive renovation.

"Tulsa loves Broadway and so we're confident that they'll stick with us as we figure that out,” Celebrity Attractions CEO Kristin Dotson said.

Dotson said Celebrity Attractions still plans to use the current PAC building for the next couple of years.

Tulsa PAC CEO Mark Frie works closely with Celebrity Attractions, the Tulsa Ballet and the Tulsa Symphony to bring performances to the stage.

"My goal as the person who runs this facility is to make sure they're not interrupted one day of programming,” Frie said.

Frie said right now its main theater, Chapman Hall, has 2,400 seats. Another theater sits about 400 guests.

He said the PAC wants to build a new mid-sized theater, with about 1,400 seats, and if that happens, the space could be used while renovations are done at the current PAC.

"We're still vetting out the best location for that but obviously we wanna keep it near the current PAC,” he said.

That new theater would not be funded by Improve Our Tulsa; the PAC would fund that on its own.

Improve Our Tulsa money would be used to redo Chapman Hall and address infrastructure problems.

One of the PAC's priorities would be fixing the outdated and rusting loading dock, and adding more loading docks so crews can get in and out more easily.

“We've got some issues when we have the big shows like Lion King or Hamilton, with loading in and loading out safely and quickly,” Dotson said.

It will take time before the nearly 50 year old building shines again.

"We're not gonna just turn the lights off in August,” Frie said. “This will take several years to rollout and to implement."