from The Randolph Guide
Larry Penkava
Staff Writer
ASHEBORO — Bill Hoover, co-chairman of a campaign to renovate the Sunset Theatre into a regional performing arts center, went before the commissioners Monday to get their support for the $1.2 million needed for the capital project.
After showing a video titled “Asheboro’s Next Act,” Hoover said his group is “ask(ing) the county to consider the Sunset Theatre in your budget for the next five years.”
The amount the Sunset group is seeking is $50,000 per year.
“People are downtown again,” said Hoover. “Sunset can join it as a focal point.”
The Sunset Theatre just celebrated its 80th birthday, having opened March 6, 1930. But it hasn’t been used as a commercial movie theater for decades. Instead, the city bought the building and two adjoining it in 2005 with the vision of turning it into a performing arts center.
The problem is, it was built to show movies, not for live performances. The conversion will mean turning space into dressing rooms, a bigger lobby, a rehearsal room and also making restrooms handicapped accessible.
Hoover said his organization has been hosting a series of meetings at the theatre to enlist support from the community. The actual fund-raising campaign kicks off Monday, April 19, and is scheduled to be completed by Memorial Day.
The other co-chairs are Hoover’s wife Ann and former Mayor David Jarrell. There are 10 others on the steering committee.
“Linda Carlisle, North Carolina’s secretary of Cultural Resources, will join us” at the kickoff, said Hoover. He added that Sixth District Congressman Howard Coble “has offered to help with federal funding.”
The city has already put $1 million into the theatre. Now the Sunset group is asking the county to invest as well.
“Sunset is poised to be the crown jewel of downtown,” Hoover said.