Renko, Second Street Live! to part ways

Dick Renko, one of the leaders in establishing and expanding Second Street Live!, will step down as executive director of the unique art and music venue on Friday.

Renko and the SSL board were unable to come to terms on a one-year contract, meaning the Friday night performance by Austin, Texas-based Del Castillo will be the last performance Renko will manage for an organization that recently opened a new facility in downtown Fort Smith.

“We were not able to reach an agreement on my future service to Second Street,” Renko said.

The new $2 million center — located at 101 N. Second St. — seats around 225 in the main performance area and has a flexible stage that can be adjusted for capacity and performance benefits. The new center also encompasses an art gallery that will play host to various visual art exhibits. Also, the facility will be open to rent for meetings, receptions and other gatherings.

Renovations to the new building began in November 2009. The building, first constructed in 1890, has roughly 20,000 square feet divided evenly among the first floor and a basement. SSL had an open house for the new facility in March.

Renko said he had hoped to stay for one more year to help train a replacement. Although he and the SSL board were not able to agree on a contract, Renko said, he has been proud to have been able to help intertwine art and music within the community through Second Street Live!

“I hope that it thrives, because it is genuinely a sweet spot in the country in terms of a live music venue,” Renko told The City Wire. “I would hope they succeed wildly and that the community gets behind it and stays behind.”

Renko said he will now focus his time on the artist management company he operates.

SSL Board President Bobby Stephens and SSL Board Member John McIntosh had nothing but praise for Renko’s service.

“Dick, and his wife Suzanne, have certainly been instrumental in helping develop our venue for the community. Dick has used his considerable experience in the performing arts and music talent business to set up the operations of the theater. He has developed and put into place policies and procedures that will help set the stage for our continued growth. The entire Board wishes Dick and Suzanne nothing but success, and nothing but the best in the future,” Stephens said in his statement.

McIntosh, who said Renko is known “for his talent for bringing the highest quality of live music to Fort Smith,” noted that the organization intends to move forward and expand the mission of SSL in the community.

“The Board, along with our volunteers and technical staff, are committed to our patrons and sponsors, and will continue to live our mission of Artists, Audience and Community,” McIntosh noted in a statement. “We see so much more opportunity for outreach and cooperation with our corporate sponsors, non-profits, and private parties.”