Check out our recent blog post to learn about touring shows that have played or are generally available for mid-sized venues similar to the Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center. The possibilities are not limited to just this list, nor do we guarantee that all these performances will be chosen. Scheduling the anticipated 20-30 touring shows each season will be based on several factors, including touring availability and routing, as well as artist fees and contract requirements for each show.
The Center will be an ~800-seat, 48,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility designed for mid-sized local and touring concerts, theatre, dance shows, film, and festivals.
The project is currently estimated to cost $80 million. Funding sources include private donors, grants, and public funds. We expect to raise 18% of the total from individual and corporate donors, 6% from grants, and, if approved, 76% from public funding.
Large-scale, beneficial community projects like this are possible only with the assistance of Public Facilities Districts. The Richland Public Facilities District has proposed the ballot measure, which will be on the February 11, 2025, ballot for voters to decide.
The proposed funding includes a 0.2% sales tax increase on goods and services sold in Richland—just 2 cents for every $10 spent. Residents from Kennewick, Pasco, West Richland, and other cities will also contribute when making purchases in Richland. The tax will sunset after 30 years.
After opening, the Performing Arts Center is projected to become financially self-sustaining by year three, with surplus revenue supporting future operations and facility improvements. This project is a financially viable, shovel-ready initiative that aligns with community needs and can proceed quickly with voter approval.
With more than 300,000 residents, the Tri-Cities is the third-largest regional area in the state of Washington. It is rare for a metropolitan area of this size to lack a dedicated performing arts center. As a result, Tri-Cities residents frequently travel to outside regions to enjoy arts and cultural performances.
The absence of a dedicated performing arts center does a great disservice to a community of our size because it limits access to diverse cultural experiences, limits the growth of local talent, and reduces opportunities for community engagement and economic development.
The Center will not only enrich the cultural fabric of the Tri-Cities but also attract tourism, support local businesses, and provide a venue for educational programs and community events, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for all residents.
A 2024 community-wide survey by Sonar Insights showed that 78% of the 1,400 respondents strongly support constructing a performing arts center. They want a dedicated space for plays, musical and cultural performances, dance, festival, film screenings, and comedy shows. They want affordable tickets, a comfortable environment, good acoustics, and sufficient parking. The Center will provide these attributes and more.
We expect many of our local performing arts groups, as well as mid-size touring groups, to book the Center for performances, artists receptions, and educational events. The fully equipped, ~800-seat theater will be a unique, desirable venue. In addition, the Center’s lobby, gallery, and community room can be rented for special events such as galas, weddings, receptions, and small conferences. We have already received dozens of expressions of interest in using the space.
The Center will reach out to and welcome audiences of all ages and demographics, including families and youth.
The Richland Public Facilities District will develop and oversee the building project. Arts Center Task Force, a local nonprofit, is assisting in the design of the project and is uniquely qualified to operate the facility.
Arts Center Task Force hired LMN Architects to prepare an initial facility design and associated costs. Other consultants and building professionals will be engaged through-out the project to ensure it proceeds in a timely and proficient manner.
The Task Force’s four initial partners—Mid-Columbia Ballet, Mid-Columbia Symphony, Mid-Columbia Mastersingers, and Mid-Columbia Musical Theatre—have consulted on the Center’s design and structure. This ensures that the Center will address the needs of these long-lived and enduring arts community stakeholders.
The conceptual design contains:
The larger facilities are typically used for major concert artists, conferences, and trade shows. Such uses typically require larger audiences to break even. In contrast, the Performing Arts Center, with its ~800-seat theatre, is designated specifically for the dozens of well-established regional performing arts groups, mid-sized national touring groups, and educational arts events.
Schools and churches prioritize their own events, with arts groups allotted the remaining dates. This discourages mid-size touring groups that require booking at least a year in advance. In addition, these facilities don’t always have the stage space, rehearsal area, and top-notch production equipment for the high-quality experiences that audiences prefer.
The Center will provide a central venue for educational and cultural experiences, enhancing community engagement and accessibility to the arts. It will host a variety of performances and events, offering opportunities for local schools and youth organizations to showcase their talents and experience more diverse cultural offerings, as well as be introduced to possible career pathways.
The Center’s support for local arts groups and professional amenities will enrich the cultural landscape, while strategic location and design ensure a pleasant and inclusive environment for family activities.
By drawing visitors and boosting the local economy, the Center will improve the overall quality of life in the community.
Arts Center Task Force’s mission is to help build and then operate the Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center. The Task Force has a small paid staff and offices at 704 Symons Street in Richland, WA.
The Task Force’s Executive Director, Blake Smith, has extensive experience in performing arts organizations, arena facility management, and event production in Arizona, Utah, Texas, Tennessee, and now Washington.
The Task Force is assisting the Richland PFD with building the project and will operate the facility once it is open to the public. The Task Force has formulated its comprehensive business plans based on thorough market research, fiscal analysis, best practices, and consultation with communities that have successfully built and operated similar facilities.
Dozens of local businesses, TRIDEC, the Chambers of Commerce, Visit Tri-Cities, and of course, performing arts organizations are excited to see the Center become a reality. See current donors and supporters for more information and details listed.
You can view the entire 131-page proposal, which the Richland Public Facilities District (PFD) shared with the City of Richland during their August 27, 2024, Council Workshop meeting here: https://richlandwa.portal.civicclerk.com/event/5431/files/attachment/24357
Annual operating costs are projected to be self-sustaining by year three of operations. The tax revenues are slated for construction of the building only. The tax measure will end after 30 years, once the municipal bonds that fund construction are paid off.
We don’t anticipate any problems with being able to use the land in Columbia Park West for the Performing Arts Center. The City of Richland has a long-term lease from the Army Corps of Engineers for Columbia Park West. The City has had preliminary discussions with the Army Corps to reconvey the land to the City of Richland, which would then own it. The Performing Arts Center is part of the City of Richland’s Master Plan for Columbia Park West.
In 2020, Arts Center Task Force explored building a Performing Arts Center at Vista Field in Kennewick. At that time, the estimated cost for the building alone was $35 million.
A lot has changed since the initial cost estimates in 2020. The original $35 million projection was based on early-stage concepts and pre-pandemic construction costs. Over the past five years, inflation and rising labor and material costs have significantly increased project expenses. Additionally, as the project progressed, code restrictions placed on the project at Vista field made it impractical to continue planning for the Center to be located there.
The current proposed site at Columbia Park West offers more room to meet the community’s needs, but it also requires additional infrastructure investments—such as roads, utilities, and site preparation—that were not factors at the previous location.
The Toyota Center is typically used for arena concerts and large touring shows and will likely continue to do so. A proposed expansion of the Three Rivers Convention Center and The Toyota Center, called “The Link,” was rejected by voters in 2013, 2016, and 2017; it would have added a 2,300 Broadway-style theatre that would link the two buildings. More recently, the Kennewick Public Facilities District began looking at adding a 60,000-sq-ft space to the Three Rivers Convention Center, but for additional convention and sports gatherings, not performances.
Ticket prices will vary, as they do for every performance venue.
Local arts groups tickets will be set to align with their expenses and desired financial goals.
Ticket prices for touring shows will vary based on their fees, contracts, royalties, and more. However, we expect ticket prices for touring shows will be in line with those of similar-sized venues hosting comparable shows across the country.
Ticket revenues will not be required to cover construction costs.
We expect the Center to stimulate additional business growth in the nearby areas, as well as in the greater Tri-Cities area.
It will add to weekend and date-night opportunities, where people will spend more in restaurants and other businesses. With a wider array of entertainment options, the Center will draw more visitors to the Tri-Cities, who will spend money on food, lodging, and other amenities, thus bolstering the profitability of local business.
More broadly, economic studies show that arts impacts extend beyond the neighborhoods where facilities are located. These benefits include a more positive sense of community, which leads to new development, stable growth, new jobs, and increased business and personal spending.
Be part of this transformative project that will enrich our community, support local arts, and enhance the quality of life in the Tri-Cities. Every action counts—whether it’s sharing your support, volunteering your time, or making a contribution. Together, we can create a lasting legacy for generations to come.