Friday, March 10 concluded years of planning the construction of a new theater on campus and began the ambitious construction of the $55 million monument to the arts. 

Colorado Mesa University (CMU) President John Marshall invited all of campus and the Grand Junction community to commemorate the breaking of ground on Kennedy Avenue, across from the Hotel Maverick. Darin Kamstra and Maurice, “Mo” LaMee, heads of CMU’s music and theater arts departments respectively, spoke passionately about the importance of this project.

“We’ve spent countless hours in meetings planning for this amazing facility, and I can tell you it’s exciting–not only for myself, but also for the potential that it brings to both [the musical and theater arts] departments and the community,” Kamstra said. “This is going to be an amazing resource to bring people together on our campus, and goodness knows we need more opportunities to bring people together, rather than divide people.”

Marshall was also joined by the Board of Trustees, who make the final decision on most CMU-related matters, CEO of CMU’s Foundation Robin Brown, as well as owners of Enstrom Candies and longtime donors Jamee and Doug Simons. 

“This project is going to require a tremendous amount of buy-in and support from our community, and that starts with two of our most important and longest-serving donors here at CMU, Doug and Jamee Simons,” Marshall said. “They have also agreed to co-chair this campaign to help make this project a reality […] Doug and Jamee have been here through thick and thin, and here they are yet again when the university needs them.”

Chair of The Board of Trustees Alison Griffin also noted that Colorado’s Capitol Development Committee lent a great amount of financial support to help CMU realize this project. While the speakers reaffirmed their success and how grateful they are, they also emphasized that the theater is far from paid off. 

“We’ll be knocking on your doors out there with a crew of folks that [Brown], [Marshall], Jamee and I are working with to try to raise the remaining funds to make this thing a reality, and obviously it’s going to happen,” Doug Simons said. “With all your help, we’re going to have a real diamond in our community. This theater is going to be something fantastic.”