The Adler Theater in Davenport will soon belong to the city once again. Saturday (8/1) it officially resumes ownership, nine years after turning it over to a non-profit group to facilitate a major expansion and renovation.
The RiverCenter for the Performing Arts was able to raise money in ways the city could not, including tax credits and grants. President Greg Schermer says the original cost estimate was 4 million dollars, but that quickly jumped to 14 million.
And he calls it the most successful public-private-charitable partnership in the Quad Cities of the past 30 years.
Adler Theater executive director, Rick Palmer, says the biggest part of the project was expanding the stage from 29 feet deep, to 40 - the same size as Broadway theaters.
Besides a bigger stage, the Adler now has up-to-date lighting, sound, and mechanical systems, plus better dressing rooms, and even an improved loading dock.
City officials says the theater adds 7 1/2 million dollars to the local economy each year.
