Elliot Moore, music director and conductor of the Longmont Symphony Orchestra, performs throughout a media occasion Thursday. A information convention was held on the Longmont Sugar Mill for a marketing campaign in favor of constructing the Longmont Center for Arts and Entertainment. (Cliff Grassmick/Staff Photographer)

The sugar manufacturing facility, with its towering smokestacks and brick partitions, has been a fixture of Longmont for many years. But one group is able to give it a brand new life as a city-owned venue for arts and leisure.

On Thursday, the group launched its marketing campaign supporting the creation of the Longmont Center for Arts and Entertainment. Local musicians, enterprise leaders, educators and elected officers joined collectively beneath the lofty ceiling of the sugar manufacturing facility to share their ideas on what such a venue would add to the town.

“This will be a center for the people of Longmont, by the people of Longmont,” mentioned Elliot Moore, music director of the Longmont Symphony Orchestra on Thursday. “It will reflect the diversity of who we are and will have programming and opportunities for every single citizen in our great town.”

The group behind the marketing campaign has proposed a public-private partnership to construct the middle. It would increase $35 million for the ability over 5 years, after which Longmont taxpayers would cowl the remaining $45 million to pay for the $80 million heart.

The poll measure should first be authorised by voters in November, however the heart goals to be a house for cultural expression for the area, internet hosting live shows, performs, comedy acts and different performances. By turning the contaminated manufacturing facility at 11806 Sugar Mill Road into an arts heart, the group believes it’s an opportunity to revitalize a traditionally important a part of the town.

“It does create a first impression, and that first impression isn’t always a positive one,” mentioned Scott Cook, CEO of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce, of the manufacturing facility. “This helped build Longmont, it is a part of our history. It’s something that we’re proud of, but there should be a next chapter to this.”

Cameron Grant, board chair of the Longmont Economic Development Partnership, joined Cook in talking to the financial advantages a performing arts heart would carry, in addition to its position in making Longmont an “engaging and colorful urban center.”

“Sometimes, we forget that arts organizations are also businesses,” Grant mentioned. “They hire people locally, they buy goods and services locally, and they attract tourists to the community.”

The heart would additionally supply alternatives for youth to carry out and develop their musical abilities. Steve Villarreal, president of the St. Vrain Valley Education Association, mentioned the potential the middle has to attach college students with visiting artists.

“Some of our students, quite frankly, can’t go down to Denver. (They) can’t go up to Fort Collins or even Greeley to see some of these performances,” Villarreal mentioned. “I think we have an obligation to not only teach our kids about culture, but also let them experience it in the real world by building a world-class facility.”

The imaginative and prescient for the middle is 2 venues beneath one roof: one a extra conventional live performance corridor for classical performances, and the opposite a stage for a wide range of musical genres.

“I’ve lived here my whole life, and I’ve seen ever since I was a small child that art is so deeply rooted in the hearts of Longmontians,” mentioned Longmont High School senior Brody Mundt, who carried out unique blues rock songs on his guitar for Thursday’s attendees.

Mundt mentioned it’s been arduous to carry out along with his band when there isn’t a devoted performing arts area in Longmont, which means they typically must journey to close by cities for gigs. He additionally mentioned the middle might be an outlet for brand spanking new musicians to essentially develop their craft.

“Just having something like this in our community, I think it would bring us all together so much,” he mentioned.

The marketing campaign kickoff closed with a cello efficiency by Moore, which despatched music echoing by the spacious, empty mill. He mentioned he’s hopeful that Longmont will help the poll measure this fall, though residents have a tendency to not need their taxes raised.

Longmont City Councilwoman Marcia Martin agreed.

“It’s really important to understand that the public investment in all of this is far in the future,” Martin mentioned. “I hope that we are just thrilled with anticipation by the time it comes about.”