Lance Martin/Herald Senior Staff Writer

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ROANOKE RAPIDS - The Theatre Advisory Committee will meet again Monday to consider a deal with Myrtle Beach entertainer and theater owner Calvin Gilmore to manage The Roanoke Rapids Theatre. Whether or not there will be a recommendation to the City Council is uncertain.

Committee Chairman Hugh Bazemore said this morning the committee hopes to have updated information for its 4 p.m. meeting, which will be held at City Hall, 1040 Roanoke Ave.

“Our committee is interested in seeing a contract that we feel that the city can afford,” Bazemore said.

He explained the committee still doesn't have enough budget information from Gilmore, who runs the Carolina Opry.

Asked whether the committee would be able to make a recommendation following the meeting, Bazemore said, “That will be impossible to know upfront. We'll have to wait and see how the information goes.”

City officials have expressed concern the proposal for Gilmore Entertainment Group to manage the theater may be more expensive than the $5 million the city has budgeted for the venue.

The city was operating with a letter of intent for Gilmore to run the theater. The letter expired on June 1 and was renewed. The renewal lapsed on July 1 and council has not considered an extension.

The letter of intent calls for the theater to be managed by Gilmore Entertainment Group as an independent contractor for five years, with two optional five-year terms.

Under the terms of the letter, the city would pay Gilmore an annual management fee of $500,000 and an additional 10 percent of the net operating profit up to $1 million, and a 40 percent fee of any net operating profits more than $1 million. The city would be responsible for nearly all the theater's expenses and costs.