Seems to me the Church on the Square has a lot of potential, especially with Mr. Morse's additional offer of free professional management. If I were in his shoes I think I would make the same offer, because it looks like more of a win/win than any other.
The town squares with their 'eternal entertainment' are a deliberate, costly endeavor designed to stimulate restaurant and other commercial activities. Spanish Springs is not thriving. A PAC could turn things around and succeed, because SS has two big things a PAC needs: 1) easy access to the outside community, 2) food, drink and more socializing only steps away. The more removed a PAC is from a town square type of atmosphere, the greater the chance it will be a white elephant. I'm surprised other posters haven't mentioned what seems to me to be a the most important consideration, and I sure hope PALMS has considered this in prioritizing their nine possible sites.
The three major criticisms of the Church as a PAC are size, seating configuration and parking. I think all three concerns can be resolved completely. Remodeling and modest expansion of the building can create an attractive, functional facility seating 1000+. I don't think that capacity is too small to attract popular entertainment. Multiple performances can accommodate the "hit" shows. Combine that with comfortable seating and the intimate atmosphere and the folks will come. Parking should be considered a huge issue at any site. The more congested the traffic and farther away people have to park, the less inclined they are to go out at all. Show people, especially retired folks, you can get them to the theatre door and back to their car easily and quickly and I think you've got the clincher for success. And there is only one practical answer to that: a charming trolley shuttle system using a priority lane from parking areas to the square whenever there is a PAC show. Who knows, except for the car shows, maybe the town squares would all draw more business if they were always closed to cars, and shuttles operated all the time. (think: Disney for Seniors).
Anyway, as I said above, let's keep thinking positively and working together.
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