City to Buy Granbury Opera House

City to buy Opera House
(Wednesday, November 16, 2005)
by DEBBIE SCHNEIDER

The Granbury City Council voted Tuesday night to lease and eventually purchase the Granbury Opera House properties. The council authorized mayor David Southern to negotiate a contract with the Opera Association Board to acquire their properties as presented to the council in a meeting two weeks ago.

“The city doesn’t want to get into the theater business,” Southern said. “But we do have an interest in what happens on our historical square.”

Opera board member Dick Roan told the Hood County News that the city’s lease will equal the interest payment that is due on the Opera House notes at TexasBank.

“We anticipate closing on the real estate properties with the city after the first of the year,” Roan said.

The Opera House shut down Sunday following the matinee performance of The Fantasticks. Only Robert Crane, general manager, remains on staff to tie up loose ends, according to Roan.

“Given our current status,” Roan said, “this agreement with the city is the best thing that could have happened.

Roan has been contacted by city officials to meet today (Thursday) with a group from the Metroplex regarding a possible Christmas show at the theater.

“The city’s interest in acquiring the property is to assure the continuation of the 32-year history of theatrical productions at the Granbury Opera House, and to promote the on-going vitality of our historic downtown business district,” Southern said in a statement at the council meeting.

“The city will hire a consultant and/or a short-term production group in order to have a 2006 season.

“In addition, the city plans to have community focus groups in the next few months to determine what the long-term future of the Opera House will entail.”

Southern said the city will later create a non-profit corporation for the Opera House.

“It will have its own debts and assets,” he said.

“We’ve already been supporting the Opera House over the years. The city has contributed $570,000 over the last 20 years to the Opera House.”

Roan was pleased with the council’s action and said, “I came away feeling like we had a brighter glimmer of hope.

“I, personally, am very thankful for the support from the mayor and the council.”

Debbie Schneider can be reached at (817) 573-7066, ext. 258, or e-mail at dschneider@hcnews.com