Theater upgrade to be far better than fair

Deirdre Newman

The Orange County Fair and Exposition Center will draw on its

reserves to finance a nearly $12-million renovation of Pacific

Amphitheatre, including the addition of a black box theater to host a

diverse array of performances.

On Thursday, the fair board unanimously approved a design concept

for the amphitheater. Board members said they welcomed the

opportunity to leave a legacy to the county.

“This will be a great gem for Orange County,” board President Pat

Velasquez said. “It’s a great extension of a well-run organization

that is taking its assets to the next level. We don’t have to do

this. Sometimes, it’s easier to leave [the money] in the bank. This

money will be put to work and fill a critical need for Orange

County.”

The renovation of the amphitheater is the first major construction

project the fair will embark upon in 15 years. The fair will spend

about $10 million for the first year of renovation, anticipated to

start as soon as this summer’s fair ends, Fair General Manager Becky

Bailey-Findley said.

That $10 million includes about $8.3 million in construction,

$660,000 on architectural fees and $100,000 on new signs, theater

consultant John Sullivan said.

Board members said funds will be taken from the fair’s more than

$20-million reserve fund -- no taxpayer dollars will be used.

Future facility improvements are estimated to cost another $1.6

million and include replacing the seats and renovating the restrooms.

Steve Beazley, the fair’s chief operating officer, said the

upgrade to the stage will not make it necessary to rent equipment

every summer for the amphitheater concerts, which can run between

$150,000 and $200,000 a year.

The face-lift was designed with input from arts agencies large and

small as well as the advice of professionals and technical experts

who have worked on the amphitheater, Sullivan said. The new space

will be available to host a variety of events, he said.

“This stage area will be an extraordinary new space for anything

from a large, impressive banquet to shows that display their

products,” Sullivan said. “And it can be divided so it can be rented

out to different groups at the same time.”

The renovation confirms the fair’s vision detailed in the master

plan and integrates the amphitheater into the fair’s year-round

programming, Bailey-Findley said. In addition to being used by

professional arts organizations, it will also be available for

nonprofit organizations and schools, she added.

The most significant part of the upgrade is the 500-seat, black

box theater. A stage house will be built and enclosed with a roof and

walls on three sides, and 70-foot-wide doors that can be closed when

the venue is not in use.

By enclosing the stage, sound will only be projected outward

toward the amphitheater audience, a boon for a venue that has

incurred the wrath of neighbors in the distant past because of noise.

The new stage area will also include theatrical equipment and

features like the ability to fly sets and scenery.

Other improvements include restoration of the venue’s concession

stands, a new orchestra pit and rehearsal hall, new dressing rooms

and other multi-use rooms that can be used for meetings and smaller

events. There will also be more seating to comply with the Americans

with Disabilities Act standards.

The first phase of construction on the amphitheater is expected to

be done in time for the 2005 Orange County Fair.