8 of 10 Butler County requests granted in state budget

Middletown’s Sorg Opera House renovation won’t get state money.

Posted: 4:00 a.m.Tuesday, March 22, 2016

$1 million in state money could speed up Sorgrenovation

Lawmakers’ request wouldgive Middletowntheater needed financial jolt.

ByMike Rutledge

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

Severalvolunteers in recent weeks have unloaded most of the 1,100 theater seatsdonated to the Sorg Opera House by a movie theater in Northern Kentucky.

Butoperators of the non-profit organization are hoping for an even biggercontribution this year from the state of Ohio:State Rep. Tim Derickson, R-Hanover Twp., and other local lawmakers haverequested $1 million from the state’s capital budget to help give the historic Middletown theater aneeded financial jolt to speed restoration.

Whilelittle change may be apparent to those who drive past the theater and officebuilding on South Main Streetthat opened in 1891, Chuck Miller, president of the non-profit Sorg OperaRevitalization Group LLC, says much has quietly been happening.

“Ittook 33 months to turn it into a non-profit,” Miller said.

Crewshave cleared out all the garbage that once filled the building, he said.

Andthe non-profit organization obtained an economic-impact study from RichardStock, director of the University of Dayton’s Business Research Group thatestimated the four-year impact of the theater — including for businesses nearbythat would benefit from the additional customers drawn by the theater — couldbe $15.7 million, with creation of 151 full-time-equivalent jobs.

Thatpresumes the 55,000-square-foot building’s second- and third-story officeswould be 70 percent occupied at Middletown market rental rates and the theaterwould host as many as 18 shows the first year, growing to as many as 48 in thefourth year.

“Outsidethe million-dollar request, we’re trying to raise $80,000 so we can do our codework and get the building open so we can have sit-down events in moderatetemperatures,” Miller said.

Mildtemperatures are critical to that plan because the building lacks heating andcooling, he said.

Also,“We still need to do bathroom repair, exit lighting, the sprinkler system overthe stage needs to be re-plumbed, and we need fire-escape doors,” he said.

“This(state) request is really aimed at the theater,” Miller said.

Theoffice-building portion and the theater itself each are expected to cost about$4 million to refurbish and bring up to code.

SamSmith, a legislative aide for Derickson, confirmed the state representativerequested $1 million in the two-year budget for the Sorg, in cooperation withReps. Wes Retherford, R-Hamilton; Margy Condit, R-Liberty Twp.; and State Sen.Bill Coley, R-Liberty Twp.

“Itlooks like they’re hoping for an early April introduction date for the bill,”Smith said, adding it is difficult to estimate how likely it will be that anygiven item will remain in the budget bill, which could take a couple months tobe approved after it is introduced.

AlthoughColey requested the money in the Senate, he said he has repeatedly told Sorgsupporters that, “while the state might be interested in getting you over thegoal line, we’re not starting you out — we’re not just putting money intosomething that doesn’t have enough community support to get it over the finishline.”

“Ican’t speak for the other legislators, but from my standpoint, it has to bethat they’ve gotten the bulk of the money on their own,” Coley said. “We don’tput the first dollars in, typically — we put the last dollars in.”

RickPearce, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce serving Middletown,Monroe and Trenton,said the project would be an important spark for downtown redevelopment.

“TheSorg is more than just a magnificent theater and features a companion buildingthat hosts street level store fronts, office spaces and a fourth floorballroom,” Pearce said. “Taken as a whole, the complex will spark downtown’scultural, retail and educational economy as well as provide a major anchorpoint for future growth and development.”

With2.2 million people living within a 30-minute radius of downtown Middletown, the Sorgcould help make the city a destination, he said.

“We’renot by any means going to cure Middletown’sissues, but we’re going to be able to contribute to the local economy,” Millersaid.

OTHER SORG DEVELOPMENTS

DONATED SEATS

Thenew seats “are in good shape,” Chuck Miller, president of the non-profit SorgOpera Revitalization Group LLC, said. “We’re going to have to clean them andput them back together, but we’re pleased.”

Theorganization is looking to sell the theater’s former seats as a way to raisemoney, he said.

Theseat donation saves “at least $200,000 in expenses,” Miller said of the planned950 seats.

PRESERVATION LIST

Thegroup is also trying to get the building named to Preservation Ohio’s Top 10Most Endangered Buildings.

“Ithelps draw more attention,” Miller said.

UPCOMING EVENTS

TheSorg will be a stop on the May 14 Women’s Wine & Chocolate Walk, which isexpected to be a sell-out 400-person event.

Thenext day, the Sorg will hold an open house. At those events, people will beable to buy the existing seats and “sponsor” the new ones.

Seatsponsorship prices are still in flux and will depend on the location within thetheater, but the sponsorships will entitle people to a plaque with their nameon it, first right to buy pre-sale tickets for shows, a tax deduction, andpossibly discounted tickets for performances.