In Sunday’s (5/30) Denver Post, Christopher N. Osher writes, “Nearly three years after promising to raise at least $30 million to match voter approval of $60 million in bonds to renovate Boettcher Concert Hall, the Colorado Symphony Orchestra has yet to begin a fundraising drive and now wishes to use some bond money for general maintenance. After voters approved the project, symphony officials began dreaming they could do much more if they could raise more money. … Then the economic downturn dealt a blow to their fundraising hopes. Now they are pushing for a middle-of-the- road approach that would require them to raise about $50 million to renovate and expand the existing facility. And they still find themselves to a certain extent at square one, not sure how much private donors will be willing to give. More time is needed to determine that answer, and another feasibility study is needed, said James Palermo, the symphony president, in a recent briefing with the City Council. … Symphony officials plan to spend $1.5 million of the bond money this year to make stopgap repairs while they determine whether they can raise money privately for robust rebuild plans.”
Posted June 1, 2010
