15-performingartscentre-report-final.pdf

CITY OF KAMLOOPS

NEW PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

PRELIMINARY

BUSINESS CASE

March 23, 2015

City of Kamloops New Performing Arts Centre Preliminary Business Case

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Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................... 3

2 Definitions .............................................................................................................................................................. 5

3 Study Context ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

4 Forces and Trends ................................................................................................................................................. 7

4.1 The Cultural Arts in Canada and British Columbia ....................................................................................... 7

4.2 Trends in Arts Participation ........................................................................................................................... 7

4.3 Spotlight on Kamloops .................................................................................................................................. 8

5 Audiences for Performing Arts Facilities ................................................................................................................ 9

5.1 Market Definition ........................................................................................................................................... 9

5.1.1 Population ................................................................................................................................................ 9

5.1.2 Geographic Market Area .......................................................................................................................... 9

5.1.3 Employment and Economic Outlook ...................................................................................................... 10

5.2 Market Characteristics ................................................................................................................................ 11

5.2.1 Age ......................................................................................................................................................... 11

5.2.2 Education ............................................................................................................................................... 12

5.2.3 Household Income ................................................................................................................................. 12

5.2.4 Racial/Ethnic Diversity ............................................................................................................................ 12

5.2.5 Market Analysis Conclusions ................................................................................................................. 12

6 Existing Facilities .................................................................................................................................................. 14

6.1 Current Amenities ....................................................................................................................................... 14

6.1.1 Sagebrush Theatre Joint Use Management Agreement ..................................................................... 14

6.2 Current Capacity ......................................................................................................................................... 15

6.3 Current Utilization ....................................................................................................................................... 16

6.3.1 Utilization by Joint Use Management Agreement Partners .................................................................... 16

6.3.2 Utilization by Community ........................................................................................................................ 17

6.3.3 Summary ................................................................................................................................................ 17

7 Users and Projected Demand .............................................................................................................................. 18

7.1 Resident Companies (Group A) .................................................................................................................. 18

7.2 Community Groups (Group B) .................................................................................................................... 18

7.2.1 Performing Arts Groups .......................................................................................................................... 18

7.2.2 Music Groups ......................................................................................................................................... 19

7.2.3 Dance Groups ........................................................................................................................................ 19

7.3 Business and Promotions Groups (Group C) ............................................................................................. 19

7.4 Stakeholder Recommendations .................................................................................................................. 20

7.5 Projected Demand ...................................................................................................................................... 20

7.6 Impact on Current Amenities ...................................................................................................................... 23

7.6.1 Interior Savings Centre: .......................................................................................................................... 23

7.6.2 Sagebrush Theatre ................................................................................................................................. 23

8 Market Assessment .............................................................................................................................................. 24

8.1 Audience Base Potential ............................................................................................................................. 24

8.2 Pent-Up Demand ........................................................................................................................................ 24

8.3 Capacity of Existing Facilities ..................................................................................................................... 24


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9 Development Options ........................................................................................................................................... 26

9.1 Vision for the new Performing Arts Centre .................................................................................................. 26

9.1.1 Civic Initiatives........................................................................................................................................ 26

9.2 Master Facility Functional Program Building Components ...................................................................... 26

9.2.1 Public Entry Space and Front of House ................................................................................................. 27

9.2.2 Main Stage Theatre ................................................................................................................................ 27

9.2.3 Studio Theatre ........................................................................................................................................ 28

9.2.4 Rehearsal Halls ...................................................................................................................................... 28

9.2.5 Back of House ........................................................................................................................................ 29

9.2.6 Support Areas ........................................................................................................................................ 29

9.2.7 Administration......................................................................................................................................... 30

9.2.8 Desirable Amenities ............................................................................................................................... 30

9.2.9 Gross-Up Factor ..................................................................................................................................... 30

9.3 Site Assessments ....................................................................................................................................... 31

9.3.1 Multi-Criteria Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 31

9.3.2 Site Assessment Thompson Rivers University .................................................................................... 32

9.3.3 Site Assessment Hotel 540 ................................................................................................................. 32

9.3.4 Site Assessment Kamloops Daily News .............................................................................................. 34

9.4 Capital Cost Estimates ............................................................................................................................... 36

10 Business Plan Framework.................................................................................................................................... 37

10.1 Operating Models ....................................................................................................................................... 37

10.2 Operating Budget ....................................................................................................................................... 39

10.2.1 Financial Pro-Forma ............................................................................................................................... 39

10.2.2 Budget Assumptions .............................................................................................................................. 40

11 Conclusions and Next Steps ................................................................................................................................ 41

11.1 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................ 41

11.2 Next Steps .................................................................................................................................................. 41

Appendix A Stakeholder Engagement

Appendix B Master Facility Functional Program

Appendix C.1 Preliminary Site Planning, Hotel 540 Site

Appendix C.2 Preliminary Site Planning, Kamloops Daily News Site

Appendix D Class D Cost Estimate

Appendix E Notes on the Financial Pro-Forma

Appendix F References


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1 Executive Summary The need for a multi-purpose theatre for the performing arts has been widely discussed for some years in the City of

Kamloops. In 2002, the City commenced a public engagement process by initiating the development of a Cultural

Strategic Plan. Adopted by Council in 2003, the Cultural Strategic Plan validated this need and put forward as one of

its five key recommendations, that a new Kamloops Arts and Heritage Centre be constructed as part of the blueprint

for cultural development for the City over the next decade. In 2013, the Raising the Curtain Open House invited

citizens to envision a new Performing Arts Centre and share their ideas on amenities, design and sustainability

priorities.

In 2014, the City of Kamloops retained MHPM Project Managers Inc. (with Proscenium Architecture + Interiors Inc;

Schick Shiner and Associates; and JBA Ltd.) to complete a Master Facility Functional Program and Preliminary

Business Case for the proposed new Performing Arts Centre (PAC). Work began in October 2014 and the

Preliminary Business Case dated March 23, 2015 represents the final deliverable.

The process began with consultation interviews with various community arts groups, businesses and regional

promoters. This led to the drafting of a Master Facility Functional Program; review and analysis of audience potential;

current and projected user demand; gaps and limitations in the inventory of existing spaces; and site options analysis

including capital cost estimates related to development of two sites. A high level review of operating and governance

models and financial pro-forma for the first five years of operation are also included in the report. In summary:

The Kamloops market can be defined as having population characteristics that suggest a good propensity to

attend and support the arts. The economic outlook is good. The labour force is well educated and

household median incomes are higher than the provincial and national averages, all of which suggest a

strong economic base to support arts and cultural programming.

A range of purpose built and converted use facilities are well used; however, only the Sagebrush Theatre

(706 seats) and Pavilion Theatre (165 seats) were assessed as having legitimate theatre seats (fixed

seating found in professionally operated performing arts venues). For Kamloops catchment area, it was

calculated that 1,927 seats should be available but only 871 are available revealing a deficit of 1,056

seats.

A review of booking dates (a rental/activity event for one client occurring in a 24 hour period) confirmed that

the Sagebrush Theatre is highly utilized with 72% of calendar and 88% of prime dates booked. In line

with the Joint Use Management Agreement, School District #73 and Western Canada Theatre are allocated

a large percentage of the booking dates. Other well established performing arts groups are challenged to try

to make the remaining dates fit their schedules. This was validated through interviews with over 20 local

arts community stakeholders, both not-for-profit community and professional organizations. These groups

consistently cited challenges with existing facilities in terms of available booking dates as well as seating

capacity and fit and finish.

A Master Facility Functional Program was developed, based on stakeholder interviews. In addition to the

Main Theatre (1,200 seats), Studio Theatre (350 seats), and Rehearsal Halls, building components for the

Public Entry and Front of House, Back of House, Support Spaces, Administration, Desirable Amenities

(discretionary), Building Systems, and gross-up suggest the new PAC would be a facility approximately

97,600 square feet in size.


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Using actual current/historical booking data obtained from Western Canada Theatre and projected demand

arising from the stakeholder interviews, estimates for bookings in the new PAC were calculated. By the end

of Year Five, the Main Theatre (1,200 seats) and Studio Theatre (350 seats) were estimated to have 105

and 207 performance dates, respectively, per year. Given a typical venue with 200-250 booking dates per

year is considered fully booked, the projected utilization of the new PAC confirms that there is much pent-up

demand in the arts and culture community.

Three locations were then assessed as potential sites for the PAC: Thompson Rivers University Campus;

Hotel 540 (540 Victoria Street) and Kamloops Daily News (393 Seymour Street). Multi-criteria qualitative

analysis performance indicators were developed based on input from municipal officials, community arts

stakeholders, and public consultation. An initial assessment of the Thompson Rivers University site resulted

in its exclusion from further analysis due to its inability to meet a number of the performance indicators.

Site massings and potential parking layouts were completed for the Hotel 540 and Kamloops Daily News

sites. Each sites relative merits and limitations were assessed based on their compatibility of fit with the

Master Facility Functional Program, site development opportunities and constraints, and application of the

multi-criteria analysis. Capital cost estimates for each site were developed for the PAC base program,

parkade costs, and desirable amenities.

The Kamloops Daily News (KDN) site is recommended as the preferred site for the PAC. The site met

or exceeded the intent of all the stated requirements of the Multi-Criteria Analysis. In compatibility of fit with

the Master Facility Functional Program, the KDN site allowed for greater flexibility and efficiencies in laying

out the program elements and meeting key adjacency requirements while maximizing urban planning

opportunities. This site also best presented the opportunity for the PAC parkade to address the long

standing need for additional public parking in the central downtown core cost effectively.

The Class D cost estimate (+/- 25%) for the PAC project, constructed on the KDN site and including all soft

costs, parking, land costs and desirable amenities (yet to be confirmed), to be in the order of magnitude of

$90 million.

A business plan framework was developed that outlined the operating models available to the City in terms

of Ownership, Governance and Administration, and Programming. The City has indicated a preference for

City Ownership; for a City or Incorporated Society Managed governance and administration model; and a

programming model based on Rental of Facilities supplemented with Presenting of Shows.

A financial pro-forma was then completed for the first five years of operation, using the projected demand as

the basis for revenues. Finally, a fixed annual Civic Allocation in the amount of $900,000 was assumed

with the expectation that surplus funding would accumulate in a capital reserve account.

Next steps for the City include:

confirmation of the preferred site and operating model(s); development and implementation of a public

consultation strategy; completion of detailed Facility Functional Program and decision regarding desirable

amenities.


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2 Definitions The following are defined terms used in the Preliminary Business Case Report:

Booking Date: A rental/activity event for one client occurring in one 24 hour period.

Facility Functional Program: A planning document that details the required space allocations in the facility, based

on functional requirements. It describes the functional use, occupancy estimates and design criteria such as

relationships to other components, circulation, building systems needed and detailed, room-by-room space

requirements. It often starts as a generic master facility functional program and may evolve into a site specific facility

functional program to account for specific constraints and opportunities imposed by site conditions.

Gross Floor Area: The sum of all building floor areas measured to the outside face of exterior walls for all storeys or

areas having floor surfaces. Gross area includes functional component gross areas (example Lobby Space) with

required building support spaces including washrooms, general circulation, mechanical and electrical space.

Gross-Up Factor: Multiplication factors applied (1) to net areas for each room or element within a functional

component (example Gift Shop) and (2) to gross component areas (example Lobby Space). These factors allow for

space requirements not included in net element or room measurements; see "Net Floor Area" and "Gross Floor

Area".

Legitimate Theatre Seat: Designated fixed seating found in professionally operated performing arts venues. Does

not include movie theatres, high school auditoriums, hockey arenas and trade or conference centres.

Net Floor Area: The horizontal area of space assignable to a specific function. The net areas of rooms are

measured to the inside face of wall surfaces.

Pent-up demand: Requests for space (type of venue, seating capacity and availability) that cannot be met with

available inventory. The demand is there but cannot be filled by current supply. The arts community is currently

challenged with a lack of suitable facilities. This results in pent-up demand.

Prime Booking Date: Prime booking days dates are the most desirable dates of the calendar year. For the

purposes of this report, these consist of the last week of January to June, third week of September to December,

excluding all long weekends and statutory holidays.


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3 Study Context The need for a multi-purpose theatre for the performing arts has been widely discussed for some years in the City of

Kamloops.

In 2002, the City commenced a public engagement process by initiating the development of a Cultural Strategic Plan.

Adopted by Council in 2003, the Cultural Strategic Plan validated this need and put forward as one of its five key

recommendations, that a new Kamloops Arts and Heritage Centre be constructed as part of the blueprint for cultural

development for the City over the next decade.

In February 2013, the City organized an Open House titled Raising the Curtain - New Performing Arts Centre". The

Open House provided citizens the opportunity to review the Plan and provide input and feedback on its relevance to

guiding the growth and development of culture in Kamloops. Approximately 200 citizens attended, who shared their

ideas in response to three specific questions:

(1) kinds of amenities the performing arts centre needs;

(2) design priorities required to be multi-functional; and,

(3) sustainability options to be both environmental and economic.

In September 2014, Council authorized a feasibility study for the new Kamloops Performing Arts Centre (PAC) be

undertaken. The process would include additional stakeholder consultation to support the engagement process,

further implement the key recommendations of the Cultural Strategic Plan, and address other concurrent planning

efforts in support of community and economic development. Specifically, the report parameters established by

Council included:

a) recommended location;

b) schematic concept;

c) stakeholder consultation; and

d) business case addressing the operating aspects.

Since 2002, the idea of a new PAC in the City of Kamloops has continued to evolve. This report responds to

Councils September 2014 mandate. Further, this report attempts to define the functional and cultural components

that make sense for a new facility in terms of demand and supply issues, physical parameters and possibilities,

capital and operating costs, governance, programming, market and financial implications, and the ability of a new

PAC to serve the Citys goals and objectives.


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4 Forces and Trends Following is a brief overview of the broader forces and trends affecting the arts and culture sector in Canada and

elsewhere.

4.1 The Cultural Arts in Canada and British Columbia

Following the financial crisis of 2008, there were significant cuts to arts funding throughout the United States and

Europe. In Canada, however, the arts as an industry experienced the opposite. In 2009 - 2010, the Canadian

government spent $9.6 billion dollars on culture, 20% more than what was spent in 2003 - 2004.

Attending arts, culture and heritage activities and spending is a priority for Canadian citizens as well. In 2008,

Canadian consumers spent over $27 billion on cultural goods and services, or approximately $841 per Canadian

resident. A 2010 study entitled, Consumer Spending on Culture in Canada, the Provinces and 12 Metropolitan Areas

in 2008, by Hill Strategies Research, indicated that Canadians spend twice the amount of money on live performing

arts, $1.4 billion, than they do on live sporting events, $650 million.

In 2008, BC residents spent $3.8 billion on cultural goods and services, or 2.9% of total consumer spending in the

province and as compared to the $920 million spent on culture in British Columbia by all levels of government in 2007

- 2008.

At $869 per resident, BC consumers cultural spending is the fourth highest of all provinces in Canada. Cultural

spending per capita is highest in Alberta at $963. In addition, in 2008, BC residents spent twice as much on live

performing arts, $200 million, than on live sports events, $100 million. As well, more than twice as many BC

households spent at least some money on live performing arts (41% of households) as on live sports events (19%).

On a per capita basis, Vancouverites cultural spending, $795 per person, ranks 11th among 12 metropolitan areas in

Canada. Total cultural spending was $1.8 billion in Vancouver in 2008, representing 49% of the provincial total.

4.2 Trends in Arts Participation

Data on arts attendance and participation is

captured annually by Statistics Canada as

part of a telephone survey (General Social

Survey). The 2010 survey asked Canadians,

15 years and older, about 18 different arts,

culture and heritage activities during the 12

months prior to the survey. The adjacent

table provides a visual overview of British

Columbians participation rates in each of the

18 arts, culture and heritage activities in 2010.

The 2010 survey found that 59.2% of BC

residents 15 years of age or older (2.3 million

people), attended a least one theatre, popular

music or classical music performance.

Specifically, of those 2.3 million British

Columbians:


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43.8% attended a theatrical performance such as a drama, musical theatre, dinner theatre, comedy (1.7

million people);

39.6% attended a popular musical performance such as pop/rock, jazz, blues, folk, country and western (1.5

million people); and

16.2% attended a symphonic or classical music performance (624,000 people).

Respondents were also asked three subsequent questions about attendance at cultural festivals or other performing

arts events. In 2010, one-half of British Columbians 15 or older (49.7% or 1.9 million people) attended a cultural

festival or other performing arts event:

38.5% attended a cultural or artistic festival (such as film, fringe, dance, jazz, folk, rock, buskers or comedy)

(1.5 million people);

27.6% attended a performance of cultural or heritage music, theatre or dance (e.g. Aboriginal Peoples,

Chinese, Ukrainian) (1.1 million people); and

21.5% attended another kind of cultural performance (827,000 people).

When the responses to the six performing arts and cultural festival questions are combined, 70.9% of British

Columbians attend a performing arts event or cultural festival in 2010, a total of 2.7 million people.

While these statistics suggest that arts events are well attended, it should be noted that there are other tendencies in

consumer behaviour that are becoming trends:

Less time/less planning we are increasingly living in a world of shortened planning horizons and on

demand entertainment, meaning a decline in advance commitment. Consumers are willing to pay more

later for greater flexibility in their schedule due to less leisure time because of demands of work, caring for

family members, etc. Demand for stimulation most consumers, especially younger consumers, are accustomed to multi-sensory

engagement and thus have higher satisfaction thresholds and expectations for immediate reward from an

experience.

Paradox of choice consumers are now faced with an extraordinary range of choices whether that relates

to food, cars or entertainment. Because of advances in information and communication technologies,

consumers are interested in a much broader array of programs.

4.3 Spotlight on Kamloops

In addition to being renowned as Canadas Tournament Capital and BCs friendliest city, Kamloops is also known

to have a rich and varied arts and heritage scene which is embraced and promoted through the Citys Cultural

Strategic Plan.

The City of Kamloops is home to numerous amateur and professional theatre and music festivals; professional and

emerging art galleries; and, established and emerging arts and culture organizations and events held annually.

During a number of the stakeholder consultation interviews conducted in November 2014, references were made that

the citizens of Kamloops as consumers of arts and cultural programming are 8-10% above the provincial average.


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5 Audiences for Performing Arts Facilities The demand for arts and culture programming is a function of a markets size and characteristics. Numerous inter-

related demographic, economic, social and geographical factors need to be understood to gauge market demand.

This section provides details on the market, its characteristics and analysis with respect to support for arts and culture

programming in the City of Kamloops.

5.1 Market Definition

The first step in assessing demand for programming and cultural facilities is to understand the market for these types

of activities and spaces. The population size and growth projections; catchment and geographic market area; as well

as employment and economic outlooks, are all strong indicators of audience potential for arts and culture

programming.

5.1.1 Population

Population statistics provide a base understanding of the market.

The present population of the City of Kamloops is 89,662

Population growth between 2006 and 2011 was 6.4%

Current population growth rate is 1.3% per annum

The unemployment rate in the range of 6.2% (2013) to 7.7% (2014)

The projected population in 2040 will be 125,500 (an increase of 40%)

The 2014 population data above does not account for cultural tourists or visitors in the area. However, cultural

tourism does play a factor in the Kamloops economy. In 2012:

7% of tourists to British Columbia indicated their primary reason for visiting overnight was to attend a

performance such as a play or concert.

25% of tourists to BC had the Thompson Okanagan as their main destination.

The Thompson Okanagan had 3.82 million overnight visitors in the region.

5.1.2 Geographic Market Area

For purposes of this report, the geographic market or catchment area is considered to be the Thompson-Nicola

Region all communities within an approximate 100 km radius or one hour drive from the City of Kamloops. The

below table shows the population distribution based on City of Kamloops Official Community Plan info and BC Stats

(Local Health Area):

Area Approximate Radius

to City Centre 2014 Population

City of Kamloops 6 - 12 km 89,662

Metropolitan Area 50 - 65 km 98,754

Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) 65 - 100 km 128,475

Thompson Okanagan Development Region 100 250 km 520,803


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The geographic market catchment area consisting of

the City of Kamloops, the Metropolitan Area and the

Thompson-Nicola Region is shown in the adjacent

map. The City of Kamloops is also strategically

located:

At the intersection of four major highways:

HWY 5A, HWY 5 (Yellowhead), HWY 1

(Trans Canada) and HWY 97; and

310 km northeast of Vancouver, 250 km

north of the US border (Washington) and 618

km west of Calgary.

The confluence of four major highways provides

convenient access to Kamloops from major centres

such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Seattle.

5.1.3 Employment and Economic Outlook

Kamloops is the third largest city by population and economic prosperity in British Columbia outside the Lower

Mainland. The City, metropolitan area and regional district enjoy a diverse economic base contributing to strong and

steady growth. Its key economic and industrial drivers include: tourism, agriculture, forestry, mining, healthcare,

manufacturing/retail, green energy and high tech. While traditionally the regions economy was dependent upon

resource extraction, today the service-producing industries account for over 80% of the labour force in Kamloops, a

proportion similar to the provincial average. The table below illustrates the labour force distribution in Kamloops

compared to BC overall.

Industry Sector Kamloops

Census Area British Columbia

Goods Producing Industries: Primary 6.2% 4.1%

Construction 7.4% 7.6%

Manufacturing 4.9% 6.4%

Services Producing Industries: Non-Government 74.6% 75.5%

Government 6.9% 6.4%

All Industries 100.0% 100.0%

Strong and steady economic growth in Kamloops and region are defined by:

Diversified Economy. The Kamloops economy has an excellent balance based in primary, secondary and

tertiary sectors. The major employers in this area including Interior Health, School District #73, Thompson

Rivers University, Highland Valley Copper Mine, BC Lottery Corporation, Safeway and Northern Trailer,

amongst others, represent this economic diversity. Additional factors to Kamloops economic success are

excellent transportation linkages, tourism, and the promotion of itself as a tournament capital.

Growth in new and replacement jobs. Labour market demand projections indicate that 35,991 jobs will

need to be filled to meet economic growth and retirements from 2012 to 2017. Over 28,800 of these jobs are

in the tourism, retail, construction and healthcare sectors. In the overall ThompsonNicola Region, 19,800


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new jobs will be created due to economic growth and 78,600 openings will be created through the

replacement of retiring workers between 2012 and 2022.

A strong employment rate and low unemployment. In 2013, the total Kamloops employed labour force

was 53,000 with an unemployment rate of 6.2%.

5.2 Market Characteristics

Overall arts and culture programming in Canada is strongly attended and an important part of community culture,

participation in arts, culture and heritage activities. In 2010:

70.9% of British Columbians attended a performing arts event or a cultural festival.

59.2% of British Columbians 15 or older attended at least one theatre, popular music, or classical music

performance (2.3 million people).

Between 1992 and 2010 there was a 12% growth in British Columbians attending performances of cultural

or heritage music, theatre or dance (e.g. Aboriginal Peoples, Chinese, Ukrainian).

Age, education, household income and racial/ethnic diversity also have a strong play on the demand for arts and

culture programming.

5.2.1 Age

BC Stats (Local Health Area) indicate that the

population age distribution of the City of

Kamloops generally mirrors that of the overall

province of BC, with a slightly higher youth

population between the ages of 1 and 24 years:

30% in Kamloops versus 27.0%.

This higher youth population will age and create

a higher proportion of 30-39 and 40-49 year old

demographic groups in 2020 and 2030

respectively. BC Stats projections also show a

corresponding increase in children as the result

of parenting age adults having families in the

years 2035 and 2040. This trend mirrors overall

BC demographic trends which are illustrated in

the adjacent figure. Between 2009 and 2036,

the bump in 40-49 and 65-75 year olds is

clearly evident.

From the current and future demographics of Kamloops and the Region it can be inferred that an increased demand

for performing arts programing will come from a growing middle age cohort with children as well as an older, retired,

population between 50 and 80 years old.

Overall, the age of a population is a key factor in arts and culture participation. Recent studies have concluded that:

Popular music, theatre and festival attendance is highest in younger ages between 15 and 35; and

Classical music, opera and dance attendance is highest for those between the ages of 55 and 75.


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5.2.2 Education

The City of Kamloops is home to Thompson Rivers University

(TRU) and the Sprott-Shaw Community College. These

institutions and organizations, amongst others, provide the

vital education and experiential training programs to provide

the workforce for existing businesses and industry base to

ensure they can continue to grow and diversify.

According to many arts studies, education levels are the single

best predictor of arts participation. Those with at least a

bachelors degree are between 1.5 and 2.5 times more likely to

attend a theatre, popular music or festival event than those

with a high school diploma.

5.2.3 Household Income

Income levels also play a factor in arts and cultural events attendance. Studies consistently show a strong correlation

between income and attendance at arts and cultural programs such as festivals, theatre and classical music concerts.

Median household income in 2010:

Kamloops $ 72,800

British Columbia $ 66,970

Canada $ 69,860

5.2.4 Racial/Ethnic Diversity

Different ethnic groups exhibit different patterns of participation. The City of Kamloops population is predominantly

English speaking; however, many different cultures are represented:

Immigrants comprise just over 9% of the population; Italian, German and Punjabi being the most prevalent.

Aboriginal populations of First Nations, Metis and Inuit in Kamloops comprise 9% of the population.

The visible minorities make up 6.8% of the population, consisting primarily of South Asian, Chinese,

Japanese, Black, Filipino and Arab.

The student population attending TRU and Sprott-Shaw Community College also has significant numbers of

international students. A May 2012 report by Roslyn Kunin & Associates, Inc., entitled The Economic

Impact of International Education in Canada An Update Final Report, estimated that the average annual

expenditure per international student is $33,840, which includes tuition, other fees, books, room, meals,

transportation, and discretionary spending. Given approximately 1,750 international students at TRU alone,

it can be estimated that these international students contribute $113 million annually (direct and multiplier

effects) to the Kamloops economy.

5.2.5 Market Analysis Conclusions

From a review of the above market definitions and characteristics, the potential audiences for arts and culture

programming in the City of Kamloops can be characterized by:

A growing population will increase demand. Currently in BC, 48% of the population attends one or more


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cultural performing arts event(s) or cultural festival(s). A straight extrapolation of this percentage to the

Kamloops geographic market area, suggests that approximately 62,000 people currently attend a performing

arts event. Based on 1.3% annual growth rate and extrapolating to year 2020 and 2030, the audience

potential could grow to be to 66,500 and 76,000 respectively.

Growth in the number of families with children will increase demand for arts and cultural programs that are

attractive to this demographic.

The larger number of older adults (in comparison to younger adults and youth) will exhibit steady demand for

theatre and classical music programming.

Larger number of older adults will have greater disposable income and the market will have to respond to

their purchasing power in the types of arts and cultural events offered.

Economic development projects and job growth in the service industries, particularly in retail and tourism will

require diverse and responsive programming.


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6 Existing Facilities The City of Kamloops has several purpose built facilities and some converted use buildings where resident

companies, community groups and arts organizations perform and present their programs.

6.1 Current Amenities

The following existing venues host arts and cultural performances in the City:

The Interior Savings Centre is an arena and home to the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey

League. Total seating capacity is 5,158, which can be reduced for theatre events (746 or 960 seats) and

concerts (1,099 seats to 4,430 seats). Performances are generally touring music concerts brought in by

local and regional promoters. However, the venue is often bypassed by notable artists because the limited

seating capacity means they cant sell enough tickets for the show to be profitable. Other artists decline to

perform here due to the lack of intimacy, ambiance and acoustics for their performance.

Sagebrush Theatre is a 706 seat proscenium theatre owned by the City and the School District, and,

operated by the Western Canada Theatre Company (WCTC). As the only commercial theatre venue in the

community, it is booked to its maximum. Priority is given to bookings by the WCTC and the School Board as

per the facilitys Joint Use Management Agreement, resulting in limited availability for other arts group. The

Theatre is consistently fully booked, with scheduling of events up to two years in advance.

The Pavilion Theatre is a 165 seat black box studio theatre operated by WCTC. While it is sufficiently fit

out for performances, it is generally used as the WCTCs rehearsal hall. The WCTCs administration offices

and production shops are located in the venue. Limited bookings are available and the form of the theatre

as a studio makes it conducive to a limited number of uses and is undesirable by several arts and

performance groups in the City.

The Coast Hotel Conference Centre Theatre is a proscenium style theatre within the hotels conference

centre. Its seating capacity, 475 in the theatre format and 350 in the dinner theatre format, functions very

well for conventions, conferences and meeting events.

Thompson Rivers University has several facilities including the Grand Hall, Barber Centre, Alumni

Theatre, and Black Box Theatre that are available for booking by the local community.

Local churches (Calvary Community, Kamloops Alliance, Summit Drive, St. Andrews on the Square) and

community venues (Old Courthouse Cultural Centre, Paramount Theatre) are also being used for arts

productions and cultural events. While such converted use venues serve to help establish programs and

audiences, they are not conducive to long term growth of the performing arts and do not meet the standards

required for professional and commercial groups.

6.1.1 Sagebrush Theatre Joint Use Management Agreement

The Sagebrush Theatre was built in 1978 with multi-level government grants and financial support from School

District 73, Western Canada Theatre and the City of Kamloops. Accordingly, a joint use management agreement

reflecting the partnership was put in place for the management and booking of the theatre. Through this joint use

management agreement, it was established that School District 73 would have the first option to book up to 100 days

per calendar year, followed by Western Canada Theatres Main Stage calendar dates, followed by community

requests.


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As community demand has grown, Western Canada Theatre, as the manager of the theatre, has strived to maximize

the utilization of the booking calendar and to provide as much access for booking requests by working closely with

School District 73 and other user groups to mitigate lost opportunities and stranded single dates between bookings.

6.2 Current Capacity

Of the existing amenities, the Sagebrush Theatre is the only theatre proper. Therefore, it is the most active facility

and venue regularly used for theatrical performances. Accordingly, the City of Kamloops has a total of 706

legitimate theatre seats. Legitimate theatre seats are defined as fixed seating, found in professionally operated

performing arts venues. They do not include movie theatres, high school auditoriums, hockey arenas and trade or

conference centres.

However, this report includes the 165 Pavilion Theatres seats in its analysis of available seating capacity and deficit

calculation. While not having fixed seats and not strictly meeting the definition of a legitimate theatre seat, the

Pavilion Theatre, as a black box studio theatre, effectively satisfies its intended purpose and fills a pivotal niche in

the continuum of types and forms of theatres.

The average number of legitimate theatre seats in Canadian cities is 15 seats per 1,000 residents. This number was

derived by comparing population statistics in a number of census metropolitan areas (CMAs) across Canada with the

number of legitimate theatre seats available in each CMA. Applying this average to the current population of the

TNRD, the City of Kamloops should have 1,927 seats. With the 706 Sagebrush Theatre seats and the 165 Pavilion

Studio Theatre seats, the community has a total of 871 available theatre seats, resulting in a deficit of 1,056 seats.

The below table summarizes the optimal current and requisite future number of seats that would be required to meet

the Citys needs today and in years 2020 and 2030 based on the TNRD population. The table further identifies:

Prior to the construction of the Sagebrush, the City of Kamloops only had 165 theatre seats total.

In 1978, when the Sagebrush opened with 706 seats, it did not realize for the community enough available

seats to match the actual demand of 1,272 seats. A deficit of 401 seats remained.

Today (2015) the deficit has grown to 1,056 seats.

By 2020, when the Performing Arts Centre opens, 1,550 new seats will be available, realizing a total of

2,421 available seats. For the first time, the community will have a surplus of 345 seats available.

By 2030, and projected population growth being realized, the community will enjoy a balance of seat

demand and seats available.

Year TNRD

Population Demand for Seats

Available Seats

Surplus (Deficit)

Theatre Facilities Status Quo

Accumulated (Deficit)

1977 1,272 165 (1,107) Pavilion

1978 84,786 1,272 871 (401) Sagebrush, Pavilion

2015 128,475 1,927 871 (1,056) Sagebrush, Pavilion (1,056)

2020 138,404 2,076 2,421 345 Sagebrush, Pavilion, PAC opens

(1,205)

2030 160,624 2,409 2,421 12 Sagebrush, Pavilion, PAC (1,538)

During a number of stakeholder consultation interviews in November 2014, several references were made that the

citizens of Kamloops as consumers of arts and cultural programming are 8-10% above the provincial average.

Taking these anecdotal comments into account, then requisite demand for seats in 2030 would actually be 2,650 and

the arts and cultural community and general population would potentially be in a deficit position once more.


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6.3 Current Utilization

The Sagebrush Theatre is consistently, solidly booked season after season, year after year.

Booking dates throughout a calendar year typically align with seasonal productions, instruction/classes. Prime

booking dates for the calendar year is defined as the last week of January to June, third week of September to

December, excluding all long weekends and statutory holidays. Within this, the most marketable days of the week

are Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Although a facility is available for booking 365 days of the year, prime booking days account for 236 days or 65%.

For most multi-purpose facilities, the remaining 129 calendar days are booked based on all prime dates being taken

and the facility operators offering of rental incentives to motivate groups to book these times.

The graphics below illustrate the bookings for the Sagebrush Theater, calendar and prime dates, over the last three

seasons (September 2012 - August 2015) based on actual data provided by the Western Canada Theatre Company.

The graphic on the left shows the percentage of booking dates by various organizations based on a calendar year,

while the graphic on the right shows the percentage of prime booking dates.

The significance of this is that the remaining 27.8% (19.4% + 8.4%) of calendar dates and 11.2% of prime dates

translate to ad hoc days of a given month only being available. These dates could be as random as a Wednesday

one week followed by a Tuesday of the next, followed by no availability in the next week. For these reasons, 100%

utilization is not realistically achievable. This is a common and accepted industry-wide reality.

Performing arts venues are generally busier than they may first appear. Days dedicated to set-up and rehearsal tend

to give the impression that the facility is not being used. A typical venue with 200-250 booking dates per year is

generally considered fully booked. The marginal rate of return from increasing bookings past this threshold tends to

decrease, as it requires significant effort for advertisement, puts additional strain on the buildings infrastructure, and

requires significant overtime from staff.

6.3.1 Utilization by Joint Use Management Agreement Partners

In accordance with the joint use management agreement, the School District 73 and Western Canada Theatres

utilization of the Sagebrush Theatre, between 2012 and 2015, on an annual basis is:

Utilization of 365 Calendar Days Utilization of 236 Prime Dates


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WCTC uses 27.6% (100 days per year) of the calendar booking dates and 36.9% of the prime booking dates

for its own productions;

SD 73 uses 15.4% (57 days per year) of the calendar booking dates and 20.6% of the prime booking dates;

and

WCTC and SD 73, together use 43.0% (157 days per year) of the calendar booking dates and 57.5% of the

prime booking dates.

Even at these rates, the preferred utilization by each of these priority users is not optimally met. Both entities make

concessions in terms of the number of dates, duration of bookings, etc.

6.3.2 Utilization by Community

After the partner users dates are determined, 57.0% of calendar dates and 42.5% of prime booking dates remain

available to offer the Citys resident companies, community groups, arts organizations and promoters. Together,

bookings for these groups then account for:

29.3% of calendar dates; and

31.3% of prime dates.

These numbers confirm that community groups are heavy users of the Sagebrush. Even so, these groups regularly

have to book converted use venues in the community to try to meet their overall needs.

Increasing their utilization of the Sagebrush Theatre is not simply a matter of available booking dates and duration of

bookings. Further analysis including variables such as venue size, flexibility, technical infrastructure; quality and

other factors must be taken into consideration.

6.3.3 Summary

Sagebrush Theatre has a very low availability of booking dates once the requests of School District 73, Western

Canada Theatre and community organizations are filled. For the last three years, 2012 2015, on an annual basis,

the Sagebrush Theatres utilization is:

72.2% of calendar dates are booked; and

88.8% of prime dates are booked.

High utilization and the lack of available booking dates at the Sagebrush Theatre have a significant effect on

performing arts groups in the City:

They are not able to get the dates that best fit their schedules;

They are not able to get the number of dates they require for their programming;

They are not able to extend a successful run of performances to capitalize on tickets sales resulting from the

word of mouth effect (this applies equally to the WCTC);

Promoters who find an opportunity to book a touring act on short notice cannot do so; and

They are forced to go to other venues which are less conducive to their events and are also often

unavailable.


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7 Users and Projected Demand In order to assess demand for arts and cultural space from the local arts community stakeholders, consultation

interviews were undertaken in November 2014. Input was collected on the existing facilities and spaces, level of

satisfaction with those spaces, potential use of new spaces as well as required features, capacity to pay rent and

support for the development of a new performing arts centre. The key themes arising from these discovery interviews

are summarized below. It should be noted, that some groups may have been cautious in expressing demand for a

new facility because of uncertainty as to what would happen with existing facilities.

7.1 Resident Companies (Group A)

The following groups were interviewed on November 12, 2014:

Kamloops Arts Council

Kamloops Art Gallery

Kamloops Museum and Archives

Kamloops Symphony

Western Canada Theatre Company

All of the groups interviewed felt that there was a need for a new Performing Arts Centre and that a smaller studio

theatre of approximately 300 seats would fill a need in the community. In addition to the performance spaces, they

felt that there was a need for rehearsal spaces, caf/bar/restaurant, gallery and museum display space, artists

studios, and environmentally controlled archive storage for the art gallery. They felt that there was an opportunity to

create a cultural hub in downtown Kamloops that could be multi-disciplinary across the performance and visual arts

community. Both the theatre and music groups felt that a new performing arts theatre needed to meet their needs

from a performance and acoustic perspective.

7.2 Community Groups (Group B)

The community group interviews were divided into three separate sessions

Performing Arts Groups

Music Groups, and

Dance Groups.

7.2.1 Performing Arts Groups


BC Living Arts

Kamloops Festival of Performing Arts

Theatre BC

Kamloops Film Society (not interviewed, but submitted notes)

Laughing Stock Theatre Society


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The groups were excited at the prospect of the addition of a new Performing Arts Centre in Kamloops. Most

confirmed that they would be able to use a new venue in some capacity especially the smaller studio theatre,

rehearsal spaces, and rentable administration space that could be used by the companies during their shows. Rental

rates for the venue were also an issue that the groups felt should be taken into consideration in order for it to be

viable for community groups.

7.2.2 Music Groups


Brandenburg Orchestra

Vivace Chorale

Chamber Musicians of Kamloops

Carol Choir Group Concerts

The groups felt that the Performing Arts Centre could address the current lack of a good acoustic venue in the City of

Kamloops that could accommodate larger performances. They confirmed that two separate performance spaces,

one large and one smaller, would be ideal. Rehearsal halls would also help fill a need. It was stressed that the new

venue must be able to perform acoustically for music performances in addition to the needs of theatrical

performances.

7.2.3 Dance Groups


Nuance Dance Studio

Akimbo Dance Studios

The Dance Gallery

The dance groups reiterated the need for both larger and smaller performance venues. Their requests included

proper sprung dance floors in the performance venues and the rehearsal spaces. There was agreement that ease of

rental is an important factor in the management of a new facility.

7.3 Business and Promotions Groups (Group C)


Entertainment Management

Jelly Events

Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association (KCBIA)

Venture Kamloops

Hotel 540

School District 73

Due to the diverse nature of this group, there were many different ideas and opinions generated during the

interviews. All groups felt that there were opportunities arising from a new Performing Arts Centre and that it would


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fill a need for the community. It was expressed that the venue could be a catalyst for downtown revitalization. The

increased capacity of a larger theatre would help attract performers who currently are not able to stop in Kamloops

due to lack of an appropriately sized and fit-out venue.

7.4 Stakeholder Recommendations

At the conclusion of the series of stakeholder consultation interviews, the following broad statements summarize

stakeholder recommendations for consideration in future planning and design of the new Performing Arts Center:

all existing facilities have various limitations ranging from the layout/infrastructure of the physical space to

access challenges;

a proper front of house (Lobby, Box Office, Ancillary Services), back of house (Dressing Rooms, Green

Room), and loading dock and storage spaces are essential to contributing to the success of the new facility;

a multi-purpose Main Stage (with fly tower), Studio Theatre and Rehearsal Hall will appeal to and

accommodate multi users;

acoustics, media/audio-visual equipment and public parking are important considerations for the new facility;

desirable amenities would include space in the lobby conducive to art/archival displays, rentable meeting

rooms; artists studios, archival storage, leasable commercial/retail space (Gift Shop, Caf or Restaurant);

general interest in shared administrative facilities and shared services, particularly ticketing and marketing

services; and,

downtown location will help revitalize downtown and contribute to spin-off economic development

opportunities.

7.5 Projected Demand

Also arising from the consultation interviews, it was concluded that the community arts groups consistently struggle

with finding available booking dates at suitable existing venues. The user groups stated that they could consistently

fill a 350 seat venue, while filling a 1000+ seat venue on occasion. Concert promoters could fill 1,200 1,500 seats

for high-demand performers.

Based on this stakeholder input, the projected demand for booking dates for the new Performing Arts Centre was

estimated. The projections are based on reasonable, conservative estimates inferred from the stakeholder

engagement sessions. They reflect pent-up demand and growth driven by a reinvigorated arts community and

having a greater variety of performing arts spaces to choose from.

Year One is based on current activity levels as per information obtained from stakeholders, with a small increase to

accommodate pent up demand. Year Three and Year Five are calculated on the basis of a 15% and 15% increase in

bookings respectively. Allowances were made for typical patterns of demand associated with multi-purpose facilities.

It is expected, however, that after Year Five, booking days would level off and normalize. Any further growth would

be driven by population increases. Booking dates could be boosted further by active management and promotion of

the facility.

The series of bar charts, page 22-23, show the projected booking dates for Years One, Three and Five of the new

Performing Arts Centres operations.


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Main Stage Theatre

59% of calendar booking dates in Year 5 are

estimated to be available for the Main Stage

Theatre.

This implies that the Main Stage Theatre will have

good usage, while allowing for flexibility in bookings

and future growth.

A wider variety of artists and shows including

companies such as the National Ballet of Canada

can perform and present in Kamloops with greater

choices in dates to complement their tour dates.

Studio Theatre

30% of calendar booking dates in Year 5 are

estimated to be available for the Studio Theatre.

As approximately 30% of the calendar year is

considered non-prime booking, having only 30%

availability implies a fully booked Studio Theatre and

some groups will need to accept bookings outside of

prime booking dates.

Studio spaces are proven to have high utilization

because they easily accommodate any type of

performance with basic technical arrangements,

limited sets and simple lighting effects. This keeps

end user production and operating costs down.

Rehearsal Halls

The Rehearsal Halls are projected to get good

utilization.

Bookings are projected to be mainly by community

groups both existing and not yet identified.


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Lobby

In addition to supporting the primary functions of the

PAC, the Lobby is also expected to be promoted as

a distinct rental space.

The Lobby space represents new and untapped

rental potential for the community. Potential uses

could range from private functions, to wedding

receptions, amateur/professional art exhibits, etc.

Estimates for bookings in both the Main Stage and Studio Theatres show marked increases over the first five years of

operations. Building on these projections, the table below summarizes current tickets sales (the status quo),

compared with projected ticket sales in Year Five, with both the Sagebrush Theatre and the new PAC in operation.

Further assumptions made in this analysis include:

For the status quo scenario, an estimate of total tickets sold at current performing arts venues (Sagebrush

Theatre and the Interior Savings Centre) was completed. This number was then extrapolated by the

projected population growth to determine the baseline ticket sales in 2025 (Year 5 of the PAC operations).

For the new PAC scenario, ticket sales were calculated using the projected demand for the PAC and the

expected Sagebrush Theatre demand.

Venue Performance

Dates/Year

Seating

Capacity

% Ticket

Sales

Tickets sold

per Venue

Total Ticket

Sales

Current Sagebrush Theatre 225 706 50% 79,425

Interior Savings Centre * 8 3,500 100% 28,000

107,425

Increased ticket demand based on projected population growth at 2024: 10,743

118,168

Year 5 Sagebrush Theatre ** 225 706 50% 79,425

Interior Savings Centre 0 3,500 100% 0

PAC - Main Theatre 105 1,200 50% 63,000

PAC - Studio Theatre 207 350 50% 36,225

178,650

Required growth in ticket sales to meet stakeholder projected demand: 60,482

* The 8 dates only represent the performances that are likely to elect to use the new PAC as a more appropriate venue due to size, production capabilities, acoustic, etc. Bookings such as the Blazers, conventions, or performances that require the larger arena setting will remain at the ISC and are not considered in this analysis.

** Year Five projections for the Sagebrush Theatre take into account an initial drop-off in performance dates, followed by growth rates that mirror those used for the PAC.


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This analysis concludes that if pent-up demand is realized and there are opportunities for growth of new,

complementary and diverse programming supported by increased marketing and promotional efforts, stakeholder

projections would translate into an additional 60,482 tickets needing to be purchased by the consumer. Another way

of looking at this is to state that this growth represents one additional ticket being purchased by every second

resident in the TNRD in Year Five. These projected ticket sales are used to estimate the rental revenue in Section 10

Business Plan Framework.

7.6 Impact on Current Amenities

The opening of a new facility in any community will cause a ripple effect on the current amenities. For the City of

Kamloops, this ripple effect will primarily impact the Citys two major venues.

7.6.1 Interior Savings Centre:

The City has identified eight (8) arts/cultural events in the arena in the last three years which would transfer to the

Main Stage Theatre in the new PAC. However, this would allow the City to maintain or improve community access to

the arena (minor hockey, figure skating, etc.). The financial impact on this venue will be minor in the short term and

insignificant in the long term.

7.6.2 Sagebrush Theatre

The migration of events from the Sagebrush Theatre to the PAC will be greater than it is for the arena.

Based on the projected use for the PAC, the Sagebrush Theatre will have new booking dates available in Year One.

The School District has expressed excitement in being able to have greater use of the facility as per the terms of the

Joint Use Management Agreement. The Beattie School of the Arts would be another organization that would benefit

significantly from booking dates opening up.

Other communities who have faced a similar situation initially reported that bookings in an existing amenity fell off in

the short term but returned to original levels in the medium term (3-5 years). In general, the return to original levels

can be explained by:

a) Pent-up demand being released as well as new programming being developed whose demand for seats

matches that available in the facility.

b) Groups may move to the new facility in anticipation of a growth in demand. If this growth does not

materialize for a particular group, they may return to the previous venue whose size better reflects their

audience.

The opening of the PAC presents an opportunity for WCTC to proactively revise their business plan and marketing

strategies. Current utilization has constrained the WCTCs ability to pursue commercial bookings. By freeing up

some additional booking dates, the WCTC can pursue more commercial bookings, which they been constrained from

doing until now.


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8 Market Assessment Overall, this analysis illustrates the need for and opportunities associated with a new Performing Arts Centre in the

City of Kamloops in terms of responding to audience potential, user demand, gaps and limitations in the inventory of

existing spaces and the benefits and impacts that a new facility could provide.

8.1 Audience Base Potential

The population of the City of Kamloops has characteristics that suggest a good propensity to attend and support the

arts. The population is steadily growing; comprised of a range of ages from families with children, youth and empty

nesters and retirees; and enjoys a healthy mix of diverse ethnicities to demand and support a wide range of arts and

culture programming.

The economic outlook is good, the labour force well educated and household median incomes are higher than the

provincial and national averages which all suggest that there is a strong economic base to support arts and cultural

programming.

8.2 Pent-Up Demand

There is a broad range of well-established performing arts groups in Kamloops, ranging from not-for-profit community

dance, music and theatre groups to professional orchestral and theatre groups, and musical presentations. Through

stakeholder engagement interviews, these groups identified challenges with the existing facilities in terms of seating

capacity, available booking days, and fit and finish. These groups overwhelming support the development of a new

Performing Arts Centre. These factors have a five-fold effect on the arts and culture community and City of

Kamloops as a whole:

the activities of local established arts groups are stifled;

artistic growth of the community is slow;

touring groups presenting higher end events are bypassing Kamloops;

new and diverse programming are likely to have market entry challenges; and,

opportunities to raise the Citys arts and culture profile are curtailed.

In all ways the general population of the City of Kamloops loses the opportunity to see and experience quality

entertainment in their own community.

8.3 Capacity of Existing Facilities

The City of Kamloops has reached a saturation point based on existing facilities. Municipalities of comparable size to

Kamloops generally boast a wider spectrum of facilities for the performing arts.

Local churches, community centres, and school auditoria used for arts productions and cultural events typically serve

to help establish programs and audiences, but they are, by and large, settings which ultimately inhibit growth and

development.

Although recent investment at the Sagebrush Theatre, including new upholstered seats, refresh of the lobby and

improvements to the orchestra pit, continue to enhance both the performers and patrons theatre experience, the size

of the stage, technology, number of seats and availability issues remain as limitations. This is particularly true for

todays touring acts that have much greater production, technical and hospitality demands. Todays audiences also


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have higher experiential expectations. This assessment was reinforced from the stakeholder interviews and public

consultation to-date.

Demand for a facility is determined by a number of factors including quality and capacity of a venue; rental/lease

rates of a venue; booking dates available; mix in types of venues; and, the collective need by a community for a place

to foster and develop the arts and provide entertainment for the community. The current inventory of performance

facilities is resulting in lost opportunities for the City as quality entertainment bypasses Kamloops, is impeding artistic

growth in the community, and limiting the marketability of the arts to potential audiences in the community. Greater

diversity in the spectrum of performing arts spaces will foster a richer and more vibrant arts and culture community for

both performers and patrons alike.

In addition to the 706 seat Sagebrush Theatre and the 165 seat Proscenium Theatre, the market assessment

validates this need and demand and supports the City of Kamloops desire to explore development options for a

1,200 legitimate seat theatre and 350 black box studio theatre new Performing Arts Centre.


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9 Development Options 9.1 Vision for the new Performing Arts Centre

The City of Kamloops has a long standing commitment to community building and increasing quality of life through

active support of a diverse and growing arts and culture sector. Developed as a facility containing a suite of spaces

that can be used for multiple purposes, it is envisioned that the new Performing Arts Centre will be uniquely

positioned to meet the needs of the full spectrum of City of Kamloops citizens and a wide range of activities and

events. Each of these differing activities will continually broaden the market for the facility and will demonstrate that

the new Performing Arts Centre is a place for everyone. The new integrated Performing Arts Centre will:

Foster, sustain and enable cultural development in Kamloops and the region over the next 75 years;

Accommodate a wide variety of performing (drama, music and dance) and visual arts (gallery art, museum

displays);

Act as a catalyst for economic spin-off for other local businesses (hospitality, food/ beverage, tourism, etc.);

Form a key component of the downtown revitalization plan;

Be managed and operated for the benefit of the community; and

Have a recognizable identity.

9.1.1 Civic Initiatives

In addition to the new Performing Arts Centre, the City of Kamloops has long identified the need for additional parking

in the downtown core. Growth in retail business, commercial spaces, and amenities such as the Interior Savings

Centre and the Royal Inland Hospital have all contributed to the pressures on existing on- and off-street parking

inventory.

The consultant team was instructed to align these two important civic initiatives as part of the site selection criteria

evaluation and assessment for the new PAC. Combining these two mandates provides significant synergies and can

improve the return on investment when compared to undertaking both projects in isolation. These benefits include:

Reduced capital costs (1 site instead of 2) for land purchase, site preparation, and servicing.

Multi-functioning asset, parkade serves two distinct services ultimately increasing parking revenues as a

result of day time and night time use.

Higher utilization to drive foot traffic.

Safe, secure and available parking could contribute to increased attendance at PAC events.

The City has identified a minimum requirement of 200 additional parking spots as the main criteria for the parkade

portion of the project.

9.2 Master Facility Functional Program Building Components

The Master Facility Functional Program is based on public consultation to-date and November 2014 consultation

interviews with local Kamloops community arts groups, businesses and regional promoters. Information obtained

from these discovery sessions was translated into core building components and desirable amenities.

The recommended configuration is a two theatre venue - a Main Stage theatre with a seating capacity of 1,200 seats


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and a Studio theatre with a seating capacity of 350 seats. This will provide the Performing Arts Centre with 1,550

seats with a significant amount of flexibility and maximizing the number of performance/revenue bookings.

Following is a summary of the Master Facility Functional Program Building Components:

Component Name Area

(square feet) Recommended on

Main Level

Public Entry and Front of House 14,290 9,690

Main Stage Theatre 16,260 12,450

Studio Theatre 5,875 5,795

Rehearsal Halls 3,300 2,300

Back of House 9,620 4,470

Support Spaces 5,302 3,542

Administration 1,716 0

Desirable Amenities 9,749 2,600

Building Systems 8,950 300

Total Net Area 75,062 41,147

Net to Gross, Gross-Up Factor @ 30% 22,519 12,344

Total Building Gross Area 97,581 53,491

9.2.1 Public Entry Space and Front of House

The main lobby sets the tone for the facility and projects the image of the facility to the public. Envisioned as a grand

tall space, it will reflect the Citys rich cultural heritage through judicious detailing and selection of finishes. It will

visually connect the Main and Balcony levels in order to capture the volume of a grand entrance. The Lobby can be

used for other events outside of the performing arts in order to generate revenue. The lobby will be separated from

the performing areas through light/sound locks and from the back of house through controlled access points.

The Lobby will be connected to the exterior through foyers or vestibules off of two streets and large glazed elements

along the streetscape will allow for visibility to the vibrant, active interior lobby space. Activity in the lobby will be

created through connections to all publicly accessible spaces (main theatre, studio theatre, commercial retail space,

etc.).

The lobby will include ancillary spaces such as bar/concession counters, gift shop, Donors lounge, box office,

storage, coat check, etc. The lobby space could also be designed to allow for display of visual arts or other

cultural/heritage related items on loan from other groups or artists.

9.2.2 Main Stage Theatre

The Main Stage Theatre is a multi-purpose venue which must accommodate theatre, music and dance. It is to be a

1,200 seat venue (including balcony), configurable to accommodate shows at 1,200, 1,000, 800 and 650 seats, while

maintaining excellent room acoustics and preserving the intimate theatre going experience.

The following diagrams represent possible configurations of seating capacities but do not attempt to show a specific

shape or layout of the theatre. The 1,200 seat layout is the maximum capacity of the theatre, with seating extending

close to the edge of the stage. For the 1,000 seat layout, the first few rows of seats are removed to allow for either

an extended stage (ideally for orchestra) or an orchestra pit. The 800 seat layout is similar to the 1,000 seat layout

with the removal of the balcony seats. The balcony area lighting can be dimmed to provide a further sense of


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intimacy. The 650 seat layout builds on the 800 seat layout but removes the raised terrace seating to create a

smaller one level seating area.

The stage will have an 80 fly tower (above stage floor level) for theatrical performances and an Orchestra Pit of

sufficient size to accommodate a symphony of 50 musicians. The pit floor will be motorized in order to rise up to

stage level for concert and choral performances.

The stage is to be fully equipped with performance lighting, audio and rigging. A robust concert shell is also required

for music and choral performances.

The Audience Chamber will also be equipped with an appropriate catwalk layout, two (2) Follow Spot booths on

either side of the chamber, a Technical Booth located at the back and centre of the hall for lighting, audio and

performance controls, and dimmers at the catwalk level.

9.2.3 Studio Theatre

The Studio Theatre is a flat floor

flexible performance venue with 350

retractable seats to facilitate quick

changes and allow for a full flat floor

configuration which can be used for

non-theatrical rental opportunities. This

Black Box venue will be fully

equipped with a lighting grid, a catwalk

system, acoustic drapes for sound

attenuation, integral storage space, and

a control Booth. Their simple fit-out

and inherent flexibility translates to

highly utilized, revenue generating spaces.

9.2.4 Rehearsal Halls

Two (2) Rehearsal Halls are planned for the PAC. A Large Rehearsal Hall configured to emulate the surface of the

Main Stage Theatre, and a Small Rehearsal Hall to emulate the surface of the Studio Theatre. These venues will

have integral storage and be partially equipped with perimeter rigging pipes to allow for basic performance lighting

and audio set up. Embed plates will allow for future upgrade to a full lighting grid.


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9.2.5 Back of House

Dressing Rooms will be provided in a variety of sizes and configurations to offer maximum flexibility for the

performance and rehearsal spaces. While the Dressing Rooms should allow access to the Main Theatre, Studio

Theatre, and Rehearsal Halls, consideration should be given to providing a means of isolating change rooms for

security and control purposes.

A Green Room provides a social lounge space for performers and facility staff. Separate Green Rooms will be

provided for each performance space, complete with a kitchenette, dishwasher and microwave.

Chorus Dressing Rooms will accommodate for up to twenty (20) performers without make-up counters, but with open

perimeter millwork lockers similar in style to sport facilities. An accessible washroom with a shower will also be part

of this room.

Large Dressing Rooms will accommodate up to eight (8) performers, complete with make-up counters and an

accessible washroom with a shower.

Small Dressing Rooms, at stage level and adjacent to the other Dressing Rooms, will accommodate one (1)

performer, complete with make-up counter and an accessible washroom with a shower. This Dressing Room will also

be large enough to accommodate a coffee table and two lounge chairs as part of a small lounge area.

A flexible, multi-purpose space will be provided to be used either as an overflow space addressing a wide variety of

situations or for the exclusive use of Road Show performers and/or staff in fulfilment of a contractual rider.

Separate washrooms will also be provided for technical staff and performers, located close to dressing rooms.

Crossovers and Front of House/Back of House connections are usually covered within the building gross up factor.

However, due to the nature of this facility, these circulation corridors will serve a program function as well. These are

technical circulation corridors which should not be visible to the public, with a minimum 10 foot width to allow for the

temporary storage of travelling cases while still providing clear access in and around stage area.

9.2.6 Support Areas

Loading and Receiving will occur off of laneway or secondary street access. It will provide space for a minimum two

(2) trailers and two (2) loading docks. An open space will be located directly behind the loading dock(s) to allow for

loading/unloading and organization of deliveries, performance equipment and stage sets. It will include a storage

area with access to the stage through sound rated double doors, with minimum 10 foot height. This area is for the

temporary storage of performance equipment for a show currently playing in the Main Stage Theatre.

Work Shop spaces are intended to allow for general facility maintenance activities and to provide support in the

assembly and disassembly of sets and other performance apparatus. It is not intended to be a Scene Shop for the

construction of stage sets. The Work Shop will have storage for equipment and flammable materials.

Back of house offices are provided for the Stage Manager and Technical Director, as their duties relate primarily to

the operations of the stage and associated functions. Ideally these offices are centrally located close to the stage and

Receiving/Loading area.

A Stage Door/Securi

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