Former Mayor Offers Insight on Theater's Fate

As current city officials weigh what to do with the Highland Park Theatre, residents about the council's effectiveness in maintaining the facility.

The city purchased the building for about two years ago after the then-owner said it was going to be turned into an office building, according to .

Earlier:

"We had many art groups and groups in the entertainment field that were looking for a home and thought we’d be able to provide that," Belsky said. "Worst-case scenario, if we couldn't find the right developer, we thought we could expand the parking lot."

While Belsky agrees with the current city council's decision to , he hopes this doesn't mean the end for the venue altogether.

"I think it’d be a shame if it went dark; if there are some things to get it up to code it would be money well spent," Belsky said, highlighting that the theater has a "multiplier effect" where ever dollar spent there for entertainment generates several dollars spent on eating and shopping. 

Want Highland Park City Council news in your inbox? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter.

Based on previous sales tax revenue research, Belsky said the theater "brought the city somewhere north of $50,000 per year."

"If that’s the case the city should be able to make changes to the building and pay itself back with those tax dollars," he added.

Overall, Belsky said he disagrees with how the current city council has handled the .

"They kept it too open-ended to get any sort of idea," he said, "I think the council has to have vision to get what they want."

Belsky said the city council should've narrowed the bidding process to attract developers that could serve the aging population and community's interests in sports, as well as arts.

"According to Census data we have a community that's aging in place—people are staying in the community. We also have a community that's active in the arts, supporting and attending cultural events," he said. He suggested pursuing a model that would "pipe" in operas or sporting events into one of the theaters, as well as offer another theater for live performances.

"I feel like it was important to keep it going as a theater at the end of the day."

For more news and updates from Highland Park Patch, "like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.