After about six years of planning and headwinds caused by the pandemic, an approximately $73 million renovation to the Tivoli Theatre will get underway in January.
“When you’re polishing a jewel of the South, you’ve got to do it right,” Nick Wilkinson, the CEO of the Tivoli Theatre Foundation, said in an interview. “And we are doing that. We brought in the best in architects, the best in consultants, engineers — all those things. And I think everybody’s going to be very proud of the final product. I think it’s going to be around for another 100 years.”
During an event in the theater’s lobby Tuesday, Wilkinson and several state, city and county leaders used sledgehammers to smash through a thin, temporary wall constructed several days prior to the event, which marked the ceremonial start of restorations to the century-old building. This seemed a more sensible alternative to busting through one of theater’s beautiful, load-bearing walls, Wilkinson told the crowd.
(READ MORE: Construction to begin on the Tivoli Theatre and Performing Arts Center in January)
The project will connect the existing Tivoli Theatre with the building next door, which the foundation purchased in 2019, creating a unified, world-class performing arts complex, Wilkinson said. The $73 million price tag includes $25 million in private contributions and funds raised by the foundation. Officials will cover the remaining cost with a mixture of tax credits and debt. Officials expect the theater will reopen in summer 2026.