New York's Senator
CHARLES E. SCHUMER

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2000

SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION FOR SHEA'S PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Completed Theater Could Result In More Than 250 Jobs

Senator Cut Through Red Tape To Obtain Funding To Aid Buffalo Arts Center's Renovation

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced that the United States Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) has approved a $1 million grant for the City of Buffalo and the Shea's O'Connell Preservation Guild to complete expanding and renovating the Shea's Performing Arts Center.

Shea's original application for this grant did not comply with EDA rules which require that these types of projects be part of a comprehensive economic development plan. In conversations with the Secretary of Commerce, Bill Daley, and other high ranking Department officials, Schumer successfully demonstrated that the Shea's renovation is a crucial component to downtown Buffalo's economic development and revitalization.

"A fully renovated Shea's improves Buffalo's quality of life and improves the city's ability to boost tourism and attract new residents," Schumer said. "The theater will now be able to attract larger shows and musicals which will have a positive impact on the restaurants and businesses in downtown Buffalo."

Shea's is a major cultural institution that has provided a wide variety of arts programming since its inception about 75 years ago. The EDA grant will be used to help the theater meet the demands of modern touring shows so that it can continue to put on quality productions. During the 70s, the theater fell into disrepair and community groups began a restoration effort. These efforts started with the theater being placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and have resulted in the theater being fully operational today.

Schumer said the EDA grant culminates "years of hard work by local leaders. It is the result of the City's commitment to the Shea's theater and to preserving its place in Buffalo's history."

The project is being completed in two phases at a total cost of $18.5 million. The first phase cost $14.8 million and made overall improvements to the stage and the backstage areas. The first phase
had a major impact on the marketability of Buffalo's downtown area because the theater can attract more first-rate productions like the "Phantom of the Opera." The Shea's restoration effort has become a cornerstone of Buffalo's downtown re-development plan which includes a new hotel.

The $1 million grant announced by Schumer today will finance about 27 percent of the second and final phase of the project which will cost $3.7 million. The City of Buffalo is providing $2 million and Shea's is providing $700,000. This phase will focus on the remaining construction needs and other finishing touches.

The overall completion of the project is expected to create 16 new positions at Shea's as well as enable the theater to retain 30 jobs. In addition, the overall impact of the completed theater is expected to create between 200 and 260 new jobs in new and/or expanded businesses within the two block radius of Shea's. Finally, the second phase will create 75 temporary construction jobs.

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