Lied Center Expansion

The Lied Center, located at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, has announced plans for a $15 million expansion, which is set to include a new 800-seat theatre.

The venue will sit adjacent to the center’s existing 2,020-seat theatre.

“What the smaller venue will do for us is free up the calender of the big hall so we can accommodate touring artists,” Lied Center Executive Director Tim Van Leer told Pollstar.

“The existing facility … is great for a performance such as a Broadway show that draws a large audience. We want to complement that theatre with the new addition, which will provide space for much more intimate events such as a string quartet performance.”

Van Leer added that the new theatre will be a perfect venue for opera and dance performances, and for concerts by the university’s choral ensembles.

Additionally, improvements will be made to the original Lied Center building. The lobby will be expanded and an elevator will be added, along with an outdoor sculpture garden, and dressing rooms.

Construction dates for the project have not been set, Van Leer said.

The university has already acquired $8.5 million for the project – $7.5 million of which came from the Las Vegas-based Lied Foundation Trust, and a $1 million commitment from a Lawrence couple and the Douglas County Bank.