Auburn Placer Performing Art Center

The Auburn Placer Performing Arts Center committee has a new leader to champion the effort to raise $6 million for a performing arts theater in Auburn.

The 20-member committee elected Paul Ogden to serve as president during its June meeting. He replaces outgoing president Bud Pisarek.

During his yearlong term as president, Ogden said he'll be focused on jump starting fund-raising to see the idea of a performing arts center in Auburn to fruition. The committee owns the Old State Theater building on Lincoln Way and will be renovating it into an 800-seat performing arts center, if it can raise an estimated $6 million.

"The major priority going forth is fund-raising," Ogden said. "We see it in two phases. First, clear out the loan we have from our 15 investors and once we get that debt cleared, we'll look at serious fund-raising."

Loans helped the committee come up with $805,000 to purchase the building in March.

The committee estimates it will need $6 million in donations and government and private grants to fund the project.

Ogden, who was Auburn's city manager from 1996 to 2003, has other ideas for the building in the near future.

One is to hold live performances in one screening room at the Old State Theater within the next few years. These performances could bring in revenue for the performing arts center and be a preview of what's to come, Ogden said. The Old State Theater currently shows first-run independent and art house movies.

But Ogden said the building front would need a facelift.

"First of all, the appearance now is not good. It's tired and needs some sprucing up," he said. "If we're going to be serious about this business and having live performances, we need a more attractive façade."

Ogden would also like to build up the performing art center's volunteer base for working on the building and staffing upcoming fund-raising events, such as an Auburn Bluegrass Fest planned for Oct. 14.

Looking at other old movie theaters restored to performing arts centers in Redding and Antioch, Ogden said they benefit surrounding businesses with increased sales tax revenues.

"One thing that's always been shown is it's an economic plus to downtowns to have these things," he said.

Ron Solomon, a pawnbroker at Auburn Jewelry & Loan on Lincoln Way, said he hoped plans for the performing arts center would economically revitalize downtown Auburn.

"I can't see how anybody could be against it," he said.

Although the community has scrutinized whether enough parking exists downtown, Solomon said any parking situation might be solved with a parking structure nearby.

"Most performances are in the evening, so I don't think it'd be a problem," he said. "I think a parking structure would go great with the performing arts center and be a benefit to the businesses here during the day."

A study by the performing arts center committee last year found close to 400 parking spaces within a block of the theater. The committee plans to consult with the Auburn City Council in August on buying two adjacent properties to the Old State Theater building for parking.

"Is there sufficient parking for the theater and the businesses? We'll have to work with the city on that," Ogden said. "I'm not going to be naïve, but if everybody wants a performing arts center, parking is not going to be the issue that drives it away."

The Journal's Michelle Miller can be reached at michellem@goldcountrymedia.com.