NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WBEN)...It is down to two short-listed finalists vying to own and operate the venerable and iconic Rapids Theatre in Niagara Falls.
Both finalists are local and both have experience in booking and running concerts and special events, said Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino.
Citing confidentiality clauses, the identity of the two finalists can not be revealed, Restaino said.
At least one of the finalists said, if selected, the Rapids Theatre could host its first event in September.
A special committee comprised of representatives from the Niagara Falls Business Development office, the Niagara County Economic Development Center, Empire State Development and Niagara University will meet with the finalists during the week of April 20 and from those meetings, one of the two will be selected to acquire and operate the Rapids Theatre.
"I'd like to see this move forward," Restaino said.
Reviving the Rapids Theatre is one of the key economic development benchmarks for Niagara Falls' plan to bring its Main Street business corridor back to life.
Taken in context with development plans for its across-Main Street-neighbor, the former Jenss Department Store building, Restaino thinks a foundation can be laid to attract other private sector interests. The Jenss building is being renovated into a residential-anchored development by a team led by Buffalo attorney and preservation expert Jason Yots.
"If you had told me a year ago that these two projects would be underway this year, I would have said 'you are out of your mind', but that is exactly what is happening," Restaino said.
Built in 1921, originally as the Bellevue Theater, the Rapids Theatre has gone through a number of changes including serving as a first run movie house and in later years as a concert venue and special events center.
The theater can seat 800 people but has a standing-only capacity that can handle up to 1,700 people.
The theater has been dark for the past few years.
"It is crucial to our Main Street efforts to re-activate that theater," Restaino said.
Finalists vying to run the Rapids Theatre
Finalists vying to run the Rapids Theatre
