Virginia Beach to loan $200,000 to Musical Theatre

Builders cut corners to save money and did bad job on roofing which leaked and caused preventable repairs.

Why would it be devastating to loose it? How many people have heard of it? How many of the people paying for it by way of tax money see it? Aren't there other venues they could use, such as the Well's Theater in Norfolk? If only a few people are interested, why is it the duty of all the citizens to pay to keep the actors employed? It sounds like there isn't enough demand for what they are doing. I've dreamed of doing a live music venue with some killer ideas that haven't been used yet and with good sound re-enforcement and better lighting than all the local jokers have. But since I don't know if there would be demand, and remember how hard it was trying to launch a local music TV show, I've never gone very far with it. There is either demand and support for it, or not. Best thing they could do is drive ticket sales and build demand. If not, then quit.

The city which is, or will be, hurting for money decides to loan $200K (interest free at that)to a company that obviously didn't manage its money that well in the first place. Yeah, maybe part of that debt can be blamed on the city, but I don't recall any loans given to the restaurants that I worked at that suffered when the city did it's work in the area. Is it okay for ANY locally owned business to ask for an interest free loan? Most everyone else normally goes to the bank, or even private investors. And shame on them for not recognizing the local talent at that Irish dance studio. Love thy neighbor (meaning the locals)...if you only do "real productions", then let them fail like many "real people" do in the "real world."

I want to thank the city of Virginia Beach for helping to keep the Virginia Musical Theater alive. They put on wonderful Broadway quality productions and it would be devastating for this area to lose it. This is only their second season at the Sandler and we should do at least this much to ensure it’s given a chance to grow. It is also the only Actor’s Equity Association musical theater group that I know of in VA Beach. Having something like this in the area is important to local performers so they don’t have to travel to Richmond or other areas to be in a Broadway quality production. The Virginia Musical Theater is far from being a “low rent group”. In addition, they are not in charge of renting out the Sandler, so don’t fault them if your group wasn’t able to perform there. Thanks again VA Beach!

Emland, that's the way it works. There was a local fellow who helped code a free version of "Dance Dance Revolution." He bought out a convention known as the Mid-Atlantic Gaming Festival. He held it in Williamsburg the first year. He looked at facilities in Virginia Beach and surrounding areas, and said they had no interest in helping him. They wanted the big bucks. He found a place in Fairfax, VA I believe, and has since moved it there. It's growing every year. It was something like 300 people in Williamsburg. They broke 1000 people last year. It could become absolutely huge. People are short sighted in this community, the best thing is to not waste time trying to change the ways and find better communities with more intelligent people.

My daughter attends a fine little Irish dance studio which lies about a mile east of the Sandler Center. When news of the center reached the ears of the studio director she made an inquiry on the costs involved in the Sandler playing host to the annual recital. The cost was exhorbitantly high and they required the use of their A/V personnel as well as their ushers (both at an additional fee.) It was explained that the center was there for "real productions."

No one expects the SC to give anything away, but there should be rates available to the local Va Beach businesses that may play a part in giving the world the next best ballerina or musical talent. The studio pays taxes, the director is a Va Beach resident as are most of the students. Since the taxpayers are bailing out the center, I believe an affordable rate should be established for the Va Beach arts based businesses.

Obviously, the community does not support his low rent group. If ticket sales and donations do not support it let it fold. City Council is out of control. Jim Spore should resign. The Mayor should now realize why she must hang up her red tennis shoes. These people spend 200,000 dollars like it is a penny in the street.

I would disagree with Mr. Test, who said the loan wasn't a gift. A ten-year, interest-free loan is just that. We are not the Bank of Virginia Beach. Let's stop acting like it.

As for our Mayor, who said: "I would hate to see the holiday season go dark because we can't find it in our hearts to support them", I would say that I'd hate to see the lives of any of our citizens go dark because they are being taxed to oblivion, to support the toys and adventures of the connected "society swells" among us.

I hope our Mayor never questions why she wasn't re-elected. This city has been a textbook exampled of Conflict of Interest for years. I hope everyone can see why you pay such high taxes and get so little for it. I think I will run for Mayor. I have some friends with projects that are strapped for cash too. It sure would be nice to be able to give them other people's money.

Why is a city that has a buget shortfall lending anyone money? When did the city become a bank? No intrest loan? How does this work? How can you expect the taxpayers to pay higher taxes when you are throwing the money away. Whatever happened to Non-profits getting donations? Are there lives at stake? Does this place let homeless people sleep there when it is cold? Do they give flu shots? What is the special situation that would warrant this no intrest loan? I see the Sportsplex all over again.

There is one main issue that has failed to be mentioned about this $200,000.00 dollar gift from last night's council session. Mr."voice of the taxpayer" Robert Dean came before council last night and gave an impassioned plea on how Bill Desteph and Reba McClanan were the only two members on council who looked out for the taxpayer.

Apparently he got them confused with Rosemary Wilson and Jim Wood on this issue. They were the only two council members who voted against spending 200k on a project that could go under next month.

Kudos to Reba McClanan for voting Yes as well, it must have been the result of that pesky election last month.

Robert Dean: HOW DARE you call Bill and Reba the "Conscience of the taxpayer" minutes before they vote to spend taxpayer money on an investment that they had not even seen the numbers on.

When the city of Virginia Beach is faced with a nearly $100 million dollar budget shortfall, do we really need to be bailing out a theater group that has obviously been mismanaged enough to need $200,000.00 tax free loan?

My question, Robert Dean, is this: Is there enough tainted kool-aid at the beach to douse the blazing hypocrisy that is the VBTA?

Robert Dean asked VB council to loan him money. Honestly, he is just a taxpaying citizen. VB council could care less about his situation. Now if mr. big developer like Mike Barrett tells council to build him a parking garage under his building, loan him money, and give him tax breaks, they would look all starry eyed and be drooling over themselves to lick his boots and do his bidding.

The ole biddy mayor goofy-dorf needs to understand that citizens houses are going to go dark. Where is it in her heart to support the them?

Facing a greater than $80M budget shortfall, an official recession, declining home values, cutting raises for city workers and cutting required services, the City Council arranged for a half hour long dog & pony show from city staff and the Virginia Musical Theater (VMT) board members before they allowed just 3 minutes to hear from the real people they work for, the residents. Spinning a tale about moving the old theater from the Pavillion to a new $65M taxpayer-subsidized theater in the taxpayer-subsidized Town Center the city's PR pitch overlooked the expensive sets and expensive out-of-town productions that the VMT put on which failed to sell adequate tickets to cover costs. Giving away an interest free 10 year "loan" set a very bad precedent. Let the bailouts begin! It's all the rage. Spread the wealth baby. Well, just not to Robert Dean, LOL!

City is short of money to meet upcoming budget, maybe. Treasurer says it's ok if some don't pay their taxes on time. City helps build a theatre and fancy parking garage. People who put plays on in the theatre have no money. City loans them money. Mayor doesn't want theatre to go dark. So, what is the big holiday play for the holidays? They now have the money. I have no money. I can't go see the play in the fancy theatre that I helped pay for as I have no gas. Ahhhh, life gets no better than it is at da beach.

Go Reid! So, if I've got this straight.... the group owes the city money by way of the performing arts center, but the city funds it to begin with, so the city gave it a new loan so it can pay back the city using money from itself. The way to be profitable is to fill the seats. Can they do it?

A projected $2.8B shortfall, but they can afford to bail these guys out? Sorry theater lovers, but this is nonessential, and there are plenty of private donors they can tap for funding. If not, then the problem will not be solved by a loan of any amount, but by taking a hard look at why the group is struggling financially. If VB still wants to disregard its own budget woes to help someone in need, then help the truly needy--the hungry and homeless at the Beach. I challenge City Council to take some of that money and go out about 10 or 11 on a cold night this month and personally distribute some brown bag meals to those on the street. Go cruise Pacific and look at those people you normally don't (won't) look at. You'll see them.