Walton Arts Center to expand in Bentonville, Fayetteville

The Walton Arts Center plans to build a 2,200 seat theater in Bentonville and a 600 seat theater next to the existing center in downtown Fayetteville.

The announcement came Wednesday evening during a press conference at the Starr Theater, according to this report from KFSM 5 News.

The location of the Bentonville expansion is expected to be in the downtown area. Bentonville’s proposal included 10 acres on Northwest Arkansas Community College’s campus and a site within half-mile of downtown area.

The expansion is expected to cost $180 million.

Prior to the conference, the facilities committee will make a recommendation to the Board of Directors on which site should be the home for the expansion.

The WAC says they’ll soon beginning planning and fundraising. And they hope to open the new city sometime between spring of 2012 and fall of 2015.

More than 20 proposals from cities like Fayetteville, Bentonville, Springdale, and Rogers-Lowell were submitted after the WAC announced their plans to expand in February.

In June, Bentonville received a major endorsement. Walton Family Foundation Executive Director Buddy Philpot sent a letter to the Walton Arts Center stating that" we do not foresee being the lead donor for a new performing arts facility in a location other than Bentonville." The Walton Family Foundation donates about $1 million dollars to the Walton Arts Center every year.

The announcement included the following information from the Walton Arts Center.
WHY DO WE NEED TO EXPAND?
• Need for space: According to a 2008 Feasibility Study, Baum Walker Hall is utilized at 95% of capacity. Findings suggest that a 2200-seat hall and a 600-seat space is needed.

• New audiences: In 2010, more than 158,000 people experienced the arts. Walton Arts Center launched Artosphere, a new regional arts & nature festival that attracted 15,000 patrons with high quality performances and visual art that was accessible, with most programs being free.

• Education: In 2010, there were 33,000 students served through arts programs and projected to reach 58,000 by 2015. A state-wide approach to education includes the new production of Digging Up Arkansas, which will be performed all over the state in the next two years, helping more than 20,000 students connect to Arkansas history.

• Broadway: Walton Arts Center started presenting Broadway shows one and two days at a time. The launch of the 2010 season marked a major milestone as Beauty and the Beast ran for two weeks, selling over 15,000 tickets at 85% of house.

• Partner Organizations: In the first few seasons, Walton Arts Center hosted one resident company (NASO) and in 2010 with NWCCC, Theatre Squared, and rebirth of SONA, Walton Arts Center has three resident companies and enhanced relationship with partners such as the University of Arkansas and The AMP at the NWA Mall.

• Artistic Impact: Walton Arts Center will have the ability to secure first-run Broadway shows, have greater access to artists, comedians and musicians. With the addition of the AMP, Bud Walton and Barnhill, Northwest Arkansas will get larger touring music acts.

• Economic Impact: A 2005 economic impact study showed that the arts in NWA, driven largely by Walton Arts Center, provided more than $16 million in economic impact that year. Walton Arts Center has grown from a $10 million operating budget in 2010 to a projected $14 million operating budget by 2013.