As Portland City Council grapples with the question of what to do about the future of performing arts in the city, one local company is putting its support behind a proposal to build a new, state-of-the-art complex at Portland State University. The city is currently . Two would replace the building with a new concept and one would remodel the existing building.
The main issue with the remodel plan, promoted by the Halprin Landscape Conservancy, is it would require an extended shut-down of the Keller, which hosts Broadway shows and other big acts that are not only popular with audiences but are lucrative for the city and support a variety of jobs. If a new center is built, the Keller will remain open until it is complete, allowing shows to go on in the city. “The Keller Auditorium remaining open until a new one is built is not only key torebuilding our performances and revenue, but also necessary for our continued existence,” said Sue Dixon, general director and CEO of Portland Opera, in a press release Tuesday.
“Closing the Keller, even for one day, threatens the arts community and all of the artists, performers, technicians and support staff who all contribute to a thriving arts ecosystem.” Portland Opera is the first performing arts group to announce support for any of the plans. The opera said Tuesday it supported .
While PSU’s plan is the most expensive of the three, it would be supported by the university’s fundraising arm and would expand upon what is possible at the current Keller site. It also keeps the performance center downtown, just blocks from the current Keller, and crucially does not require any break in Broadway performances. “We have a responsibility to our employees, the community who benefit from the arts in so many ways, and future Oregonians,” Dixon added, “who one day may sit in a beautiful 21st-century venue on PSU’s campus and experience performances put on by a thriving arts community.
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