Council to discuss resolution to guarantee quality WAC programming in Fayetteville
Legal action to prevent the Walton Arts Center from expanding in Bentonville has not gained much support from city leaders thus far, but the City Council will discuss another way to make sure the organization continues their commitment to the city of Fayetteville on Tuesday.
Aldermen Adella Gray and Brenda Thiel have proposed a resolution to authorize City Attorney Kit Williams to negotiate a new 25-year lease agreement with the performing arts organization, with an aim to make sure that the existing Fayetteville facility will continue to receive the level of programming that it currently receives.
Walton Arts Center officials have maintained that the Fayetteville facility would not play second fiddle to the new facility in Bentonville, but Fayetteville City Attorney Kit Williams wants more than a verbal guarantee.
From the resolution drafted by Williams:
We can ensure that the Walton Arts Center staff’s claims that Fayetteville would remain the hub for performing arts even after the Bentonville Arts Center is built will be true by memorializng them in a second long term Lease Agreement with the Walton Arts Center Council, Inc. The Resolution proposed by Aldermen Adella Gray and Brenda Thiel would authorize me to work with the Walton Arts Center Council, Inc. to create a replacement and extension of the 25 year Lease Agreement that the City entered into with the Walton Arts Center Council in 1994. This new agreement should include provisions to ensure that the Walton Arts Center on Dickson will remain, as Mayor Jordan says: “economically viable and artistically outstanding.”
Meanwhile, Walton Arts Center CEO Peter Lane reiterated the center’s commitment to quality programming in Fayetteville in a letter sent to Mayor Lioneld Jordan and University Chancellor G. David Gearhart on Monday.
“We have heard some concern that the Walton Arts Center’s expansion will shift all the ‘good’ programming to Bentonville. This is simply not true,” Lane wrote in the letter. “With the addition of a 600-seat theater in Fayetteville, the majority of our diverse programming will continue to be presented in Fayetteville.”
Lane went on to list specific types of programming that the center plans to book in the existing facility on Dickson Street.
“While we cannot predict what shows will be touring over the next 5-10 years, we see programming in Fayetteville that would include Broadway hits similar to Legally Blonde, Young Frankenstein, and Spring Awakening as well as special attractions like Blue Man Group and world-class artists like Momix, Vienna Boys Choir, Branford Marsalis, and Arlo Guthrie,” he wrote.
Whether or not Lane’s letter is the written guarantee that the council, or that Williams is seeking remains to be seen. We’ll have a better idea Tuesday night.
» View the resolution to authorize Williams to negotiate a new WAC Lease
» Download Peter Lane’s letter to Mayor Jordan, Chancellor Gearhart
This resolution should be passed and a new agreement negotiated with the WAC. As the decision on the new facilty location shows the stated intentions of the WAC don’t seem to match up with what their actions are. The WAC should be thrilled to put their promises into a legal agreement that binds them to do exactly what they say they will. Those backing the WAC on the City Council should be thrilled to have this chance to prove that that suport is deserved and the the promises made aren’t just for show.
While we are at binding non-profit groups to legal contracts lets go ahead and stick it to the United Way, or how bout we sue the Jones family center, too. I enjoy following some of these posts on here but it seems to be the same 6 or 7 people that don’t do anything but complain. The WAC could have said they weren’t expanding and you would be arguing the other side. SHUT UP. YOU DO NOT MATTER. If you havn’t seen this with the paid parking bickering and now the WAC maybe someday you will wise up.
Hahahaa.
“With the addition of a 600-seat theater in Fayetteville, the majority of our diverse programming will continue to be presented in Fayetteville.”
Riiiiiight… because the lesser programming would totally be in a tiny space that will never be built.
Fayetteville should be courting the WAC, not pushing them to use their legal council. Never enter a negotiation you aren’t willing to walk away from. The WAC could walk away from Fayetteville. Is Fayetteville willing to walk away from the WAC?
Stop feeding the money pit! Let the WAC go north! Fayetteville is waisting the taxpayers money. Let WAC go so Fayetteville can be fun again, also so we can say Fayetteville is Funky in a positive way.
Without being able to clarify what “good” performances are in legal terms or even agreeing on what they are this proposed agreement seems to be purely symbolic at best and a hassle for all parties involved at worse. Other then attempting to sweeten sour grapes I don’t really see what the resolution would logically achieve.
A re-negotiated agreement would have been a way to assure that funding would have been equitable. As it is, the WAC can funnel money north. Fayetteville cash can be used to support operations in Bentonville- when you pay to park on Dickson Street you may essentially be helping to pay for parking improvements at the new site. When it becomes difficult to fill all the new seats available it will Faytteville that takes the cuts- not the new main facility.
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