Arts groups seeking new cultural home base

Las Vegas is soliciting ideas for redeveloping the Reed Whipple Cultural Center and some neighboring property, which means two youth arts groups that use the center must find new homes.

One, the 35-year-old Rainbow Company Youth Theatre, is part of the city's cultural affairs office and will be moving to the Charleston Heights Arts Center at the end of June.

The other is the Las Vegas Youth Orchestra, which is still looking for a new place to rehearse and perform and needs to find one by July 1.

Bev Patton, the orchestra's executive director, said they received an invitation to bid on the building, an approach that is beyond the group's resources.

"Our little nonprofit, there's no way we can afford to buy a building like that," she said. "And it's very energy-inefficient. That's not an option."

The groups have faced this scenario before.

In early 2010, the city proposed closing Reed Whipple, across the street from the Cashman Field complex on Las Vegas Boulevard downtown, as part of a package of cuts to make the city's budget balance.

Supporters of the theater company and the orchestra protested and won a temporary reprieve, but city officials said the long-term plans for redeveloping the property remained in place.

Las Vegas has asked for proposed uses of the Reed Whipple property and a parcel to the west that has been the home of the city's Leisure Services Department. The city hasn't put limits on uses, but the goal is to bring in something that is compatible with the nearby public library and museums, all part of what's called the Cultural Corridor.

Proposal packages are due by 1:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

"I have heard about the Shakespeare Company being interested," said Councilman Ricki Barlow, who represents the ward where the center is located. "That would be great. I also understand that there are other theater and musical companies that would love to come in there.

"I would, of course, want it to remain in the cultural setting ... due to it enhancing the Cultural Corridor and keeping that corridor artsy."

The center could house the Las Vegas Shakespeare Company, Artistic Director Dan Decker said about the professional repertory troupe.

"Reed Whipple is one of the properties that we are considering for our new home," he said. "We have productions booked and paid for the next four years. We are growing like crazy. We need a big space."

The nearly 50-year-old Reed Whipple Center, at 821 Las Vegas Blvd. North, has 32,510 square feet, sits on 3.5 acres and has a 274-seat theater with a stage, smaller theater, dance studio, pottery studio, gallery space, kitchen and conference rooms.

The building cost $146,700 to operate in the 2010 fiscal year, according to city documents, including $52,000 on maintenance and repairs.

The other property consists of 2.78 acres at 749 Veterans Memorial Drive. It has the 16,200-square-foot building for Leisure Services, but that is scheduled for demolition. The Leisure Services Department is moving to a city building at Rancho Drive and Bonanza Road.

Patton said the youth orchestra is working with the Clark County School District to see whether there is space in a school building that the orchestra could share.

"We're hoping we will hear something in the next couple of weeks," she said.

If that doesn't work out, Patton said the orchestra will go to the community to find a new home. She emphasized that the orchestra will not be moving to the Smith Center for the Performing Arts, which is under construction.

"A lot of people think we're going to the Smith Center, and I'm trying to fight that," she said. "We did go to them, and they didn't have room for us. Everything is pretty much allocated for their education programs."

There are 265 students ages 8 to 18 in the orchestra, which has been around since the late 1970s, and they're straining the limits of the space they have at Reed Whipple, including a 1,900-square-foot rehearsal room.

"I can use more space," she said. "I'm looking for a nonprofit rate, which would be very low so we can keep the program going for these kids."

The orchestra has access to the center on Wednesdays and Thursdays only, and she hopes the new location will allow more flexibility to schedule rehearsal times.

This stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard has received a lot of attention in the past couple of years.

The street was improved and landscaping planted, and the city installed several restored vintage neon signs in the median. The Neon Boneyard is getting a face-lift, with a new park and a new neon sign all its own. There is a pedestrian bridge under construction that will connect the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and the downtown branch of the public library.

In 2008, Las Vegas sought proposals to redevelop Cashman Center, which could have included relocating the baseball stadium where the Las Vegas 51s play. Barlow said two ideas for the site are before the city: a children's museum and a "Crocadarium," a zoo featuring Australian wildlife that has been pitched by Terri Irwin, wife of the late Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin.

"Those are the two that are still in play, if you will, as far as people who have come forward with ideas," Barlow said.

Contact reporter Alan Choate at achoate@reviewjournal.com or 702-229-6435.