Collins, Wilson submit theater proposal to city

Lance Martin/Herald Senior Staff Writer

ROANOKE RAPIDS - Two local men who want to run The Roanoke Rapids Theatre would do so as employees of the city and are asking for $48,000 in salary each, according to a copy of their budget.

Russ Collins said he and his partner Jef Wilson are not asking for a percentage of revenues, only salaries as city employees plus the salaries of a receptionist, a janitor as needed and lawn maintenance for total full-time salary expenses of $121,600. “All monies collected will go straight to the city's account,” the proposal says.

Part-time salaries would include a marketing person working 20 hours a week, ushers, three ticket takers and security at a total of $57,000.

According to their proposed budget for 50 shows, artists fees and riders are projected at $400,000, the biggest portion of expenses. The remainder of expenses includes lighting and sound and other fees such as bank charges, utilities and maintenance at $197,121. The advertising budget would be $26,000.

They say they can run the venue for $775,721.

Collins said Monday he and Wilson just want a chance to run the theater for six months in an effort to turn it around. The city is considering proposals from Chicago businessman Lafayette Gatling, who wants to buy the theater and Carolina Opry owner Calvin Gilmore, a South Carolina entertainer and businessman. “We're told by (certain) city council members 90 percent of the city wants to sell,” Collins said. “We're told by 99 percent (of the people) they want to see it run by local people.”

Collins said they have an experienced marketer lined up should they get a chance to run the theater and would advertise “up north as far as we can and down south as far as we can.”

By concentrating on acts who are coming through to other venues, Collins said he and Wilson believe they can get shows cheaper and want to concentrate on comedy acts such as Sinbad and George Wallace and established music acts like the Glenn Miller Orchestra, which has played at Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount, Roy Clark, who has played there, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. They also want to bring in more African-American gospel acts, Collins said.

Collins said they would try to have shows sponsored by businesses.

They haven't decided, however, if they would have a house band, which Collins said according to figures he saw, never made a profit during its solo shows. “The least the house band lost was $1,000,” he said.

Collins said while it appears Gatling and Gilmore seem to be the frontrunners he and Wilson are, “Still very motivated about it. We're still very excited about it.”

City Manager Phyllis Lee said the Collins-Wilson proposal would be given to council tonight but did not anticipate it being discussed because it was not on the agenda.

The proposal from Gatling has not been received and there has been no further submission from Gilmore in the last two weeks, she said.