The latest in a string of university projects, the renovation of the 54-year-old Robinson Theater at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) is already underway, with construction anticipated to start near the end of 2022.
The project will cost upwards of $50 million. $39 million will be coming from a grant by Colorado Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee and additional costs being provided by CMU, estimated to be $12-13 million.
A new theater was a priority for CMU President John Marshall’s administration, who took over after Tim Foster retired last year.
“When I came into this job last summer, there was really a decision point that I had to make: do we really try to double down and make this our top priority, or do we elevate Engineering or some other [project]? My sense was twofold. One, the facility itself was in really tough shape. Irrigation water was leaking into the orchestra pit. I think we had to have three boilers fail on that building over the winter. […] This is a building that’s on borrowed time,” Marshall said.
Marshall is seeking to make CMU and the new theater a destination for the performing arts, such as off-Broadway productions traveling between Denver and Salt Lake City in Utah.
“Yes, it’s a big ask and yes, the performing arts isn’t always the thing that maybe everybody wants to fund but we just felt like this was such a priority for an area like Western Colorado. It just doesn’t have the same kind of cultural amenities as the big cities. We really need to dig in on this project,” Marshall said.
The theater will be a shot in the arm for workers in the next two years on the project.
“Say it’s a $50 million dollar theater. We would anticipate almost twice that in terms of the economic impact to the region,” Marshall said.
The money from CMU will be provided by donations and gifts from alumni, the community and other donors. Student fees are not expected to be applied to the new theater.
The next 5 to 6 months will be spent on the design of the theater, with architectural firm Semple Brown Design taking on the project. After the design phase, construction will take between 16 and 18 months. During those three semesters, Robinson will be torn down and a new theater will be built.
“By August 2024, we’re opening the doors of a world-class theater,” Marshall said.
Love Performance Hall, Mass Performing Arts Center and the Black Box Theater will remain as they are.
The 588-person Robinson Theater was built in 1968 and named after Theater Department founder William S. Robinson. The structure has been on borrowed time for the past decade, as the original building was only anticipated to last between 30-40 years.
The new theater may have a new name in the future, although it’s currently undetermined. The general policy for naming on campus has been that the name stays for the life of the building, which means that a new name may be introduced in the future.
While construction is underway, students who currently are in the performing arts and use Robinson will likely have to move performances to a number of different stages, such as Love Recital Hall, the Avalon downtown or other venues.
“We have got to continue to invest in those kinds of arts and culture amenities to ensure that we’ve got not just economic engines, but cultural and education in Western Colorado, and that’s one of the roles CMU is trying to play,” Marshall said.
