“The Sarasota Orchestra announced Thursday that it will expand the search for a new concert hall beyond the Sarasota city limits,” writes Amy Diaz in Thursday’s (5/30) Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL). “ ‘Pressing calendar constraints and acoustic limitations at the six venues used by Sarasota Orchestra currently hinder growth and future achievement of Sarasota Orchestra’s mission,’ read the announcement. ‘The Orchestra also has urgent need for space expansion for its education programs … serving tens of thousands of students.’ The orchestra had been looking for a new performance space since 2001, according to the president and CEO Joseph McKenna…. After exploring several places in the city, the orchestra pitched building the concert hall in Payne Park. But that met with organized opposition…. The Sarasota City Commission took the park off the table in a meeting May 20…. City officials are especially sensitive to the possibility of losing the Sarasota Orchestra after the recent relocation of … the Players Centre for Performing Arts [and] Mote Marine Laboratory.” Mayor Liz Alpert said she and city manager Tom Barwin will work with the orchestra to find “even better options within the city limits than have already been considered.”
Posted June 5, 2019
