Calgary's historic Grand Theater will close unless a sustainable business plan is found

The executive director of the society that runs Calgary's Grand Theater said the building's owner rejected the feasibility plan at the 11th hour, leaving the historic arts and culture center facing an uncertain future.

According to Erin Lyster, the plan aims to create a sustainable financial future for the Grand Theater and is based on a resource allocation agreement to bring theater operations under the Arts Commons umbrella.

Lyster said he had been working on the proposal for the past two years and learned in January that Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), the owner of the Grand Theater building, no longer supported it.

“We're very excited to share this with the community, it's a well-thought-out plan that's sustainable,” Lyster said.

Lobby in Bolshoi Theater 1933-34. Built in 1912 as a vaudeville theater, the Grand Space has been home to a variety of arts and artists over the years. (Glenbow Archives/University of Calgary)

“All parties were at the table, the terms seemed really favorable. We thought we were putting the finishing touches on the deal, but instead our offer was rejected at the last minute.”

He said he was under the impression that the Allies shared their long-term vision for the Bolshoi Theater until the plan was rejected.

The Bolshoi Theater was sold to Allied in 2021. After a long search for the right landlord, Lyster said the Great Theater Society was comfortable selling to Allied because of its support for historic buildings.

Lyster said the waiver would have been easier to accept if it had happened earlier in the negotiations, and the community still had time to figure out another financial strategy.

LISTEN | Calgary Grand Theater Society board chair discusses challenges, negotiations:

“If there were other options to search, we would have done them a year and a half ago, and we feel like we're in the 11th hour now, with very limited options.”

The story continues

For now, the Greater Theater Society will continue to work in good faith with Allied, Lister said, as it tries to find another solution to save the Calgary institution.

Karen Ball is a long-time community leader and arts advocate in Calgary. According to him, cities should give priority to spaces like the Bolshoi Theater in order for art to flourish.

“It's heartbreaking to see us lose our place because we don't have a business model that can support long-term viability,” Ball said.

View from the main stage inside the Bolshoi Theater. Calgary arts advocate Karen Ball says cities need to prioritize spaces like the Grand for the arts to thrive. (Terri Trembath/CBC)

Built in 1912 as a vaudeville theater, the Grand Space has been home to a variety of arts and artists over the years.

Pierre Gautier was general manager of the Bolshoi Theater from the 1960s to the early 1980s, when his specialty was film.

“It was a great time…everybody came to the theaters in those days. That is, everything,” Gauthier said.

The entrance to the Bolshoi Theater in 1956. “Theaters will never be the same,” says Pierre Gauthier, the Grand's general manager from the 1960s to the early 1980s. (Glenbow Archives/University of Calgary)

The former general manager, who now lives in B.C., says he looks back fondly on his two-decade career with the Grand.

“At that time, people came from outside the city. Small towns were not photographed for three or two months,” he says.

“Theaters will never be the same.”

Loss of creative spaces

Ball isn't alone in these thoughts — Alex Sarian, president and CEO of Arts Commons, says there's a demand among Calgarians for arts and cultural venues in the city, but arts organizations across the country are struggling with the loss of physical spaces.

“When we talked to the Grand Theater Society and Allied REIT, we tried to see if this (Arts Commons) experience could be a factor in creating a viable business model for that particular venue,” he said. .

“The question is what role can we play in helping this place remain accessible to artists, arts organizations and audiences for the next 100 years.”

“The loss of public space affects arts organizations, it affects artists, it affects audiences, it affects economic activity downtown,” said Alex Sarian, president and CEO of Arts Commons. (Lily Dupuis/CBC)

Losing the theater could also have a negative impact on economic activity downtown, Sarian said. He adds that public and private sector partners must work together to ensure the viability and success of historic arts and culture spaces such as the Bolshoi Theatre.

“For this place, or frankly any place, to thrive, we need social enterprise to get into the language of arts organizations and our business models,” Sarian said.

“But it also requires private sector partners to come to the table and say we're aligned with our values ​​and that we believe a vibrant arts community will improve our cities.”

CBC News reached out to Allied Properties REIT for comment, but did not receive a response.