ROANOKE RAPIDS — The Roanoke Rapids Theatre rocked Friday night to the sounds of Craig Morgan marking the fifth successful concert staged by Lafayette Gatling since he began the process of purchasing the entertainment venue late last year.

les atkins | daily herald This was the scene on the stage at the Roanoke Rapids Theatre Friday night during the Craig Morgan concert. More than 700 people attended the event. Next in the line up at the theater is a gospel show on June 20. Advertisement

Gatling, a Northampton County native and Chicago businessman, has made all his payments on time to the city and is preparing for the expansion of the theater under his lease-purchase agreement.

Friday, City Manager Phyllis Lee confirmed Gatling’s payments — the $250,000 that was paid upon signing the contract to buy the theater from the city, a $58,900 payment made in April and a $59,700 payment made this month. Another $250,000 payment is due July 1, the beginning of the city’s new fiscal year, Lee said.

Gatling has agreed to buy the theater for $12.5 million with the understanding if payments are made on time the price will be reduced by $200,000 each year at the end of the 21st, 33rd, 45th, 57th and 69th months, giving Gatling a $1 million credit applied to the price at purchase. In order to do this, he must complete the deal and buy the theater.

The city is waiting to see the final plans for Gatling’s proposed expansion of the theater. The plans are not at the point where they are ready for review by the city’s Planning and Development Department, Lee said.

While no Gatling representative could be reached for comment Friday, Gatling and his representatives have said they intend to expand the venue to accommodate more seats, most likely 5,000, at less cost.

Gatling and his representatives have said expanding the theater could help usher in more diverse acts. “There are plans drawn up for what they’d like to do,” Mayor Drewery Beale said Friday. “What will have to happen is Mr. Gatling’s attorneys and our attorney will have to review to make sure it’s done according to statute.”

Beale said Gatling and he recently talked about the proposed expansion. If it is done contracts would have to be drawn up so each party would know what can and can’t be done.

The mayor said he has been to two shows held under Gatling’s ownership of the venue. The most recent show, The Oak Ridge Boys, drew between 900 to 1,000 people while the other show, Dionne Warwick, drew between 600 to 700 people.

Beale remains confident the theater will succeed under Gatling’s ownership. “As the public realizes it’s opened back up, I’m hoping business will pick up.”

He says he hasn’t backed down from his original enthusiasm for the project when Randy Parton ran the venue. “There’s still a lot of criticism which is not good. We’ve got to work together.”

The city is not putting any money in the project other than paying its portion of the bond indebtedness, Beale said. “All we need to do is support him (Gatling) as much as we can.”

The mayor said he continues to take heat for the project. “I can take it. I’m willing to go to someone’s house and meet them eye-to-eye and talk about it, talk about it like two grown people discuss a problem. My wife is taking a beating. That’s not right.

“A lot of people are upset about me about the theater. There’s nothing else to release on the theater, nothing else to say about it except we want it to succeed.”

Beale said he stands tall on what his legacy as mayor will be. “There are some that think I am the worst mayor this city has ever had. I don’t think so. I’ve had no alternative motives. I hadn’t made a dime. In the long run it will be worth it.”