Renovating Saratoga PAC

With the amphitheatre at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., ready to reopen May 26th after a $2 million interior facelift, officials are setting their sights on another round of improvements focusing on the venue’s exterior features.

The renovations are all part of a $10 million, multi-phase rehabilitation plan for the shed, which opened in 1966.

SPAC president Marcia White told Pollstar that because the amphitheatre has undergone no major improvements since opening, the first and second phases of the plan focused on bringing the venue up to date. That meant removing asbestos, replacing seats, lighting and soundboards, upgrading dressing rooms, and installing new roofing and air conditioning.

"We’re now in the process of looking at designs and beginning to do some renderings for what we hope will be the third phase," White said.

Rotting wood panels will be removed during the exterior renovation, which will complement the interior design while preserving the shed’s historic integrity.

Exterior plans are still in the works, but the design is hoped to convey the elegance of the past while providing new enhancements for the next generation of classical audience.

SPAC officials are expecting to hear soon whether the state-owned and -run facility will be allocated the funding for capital improvement. White explained the current governor and administration recognize the importance of park improvements.

"We’re moving forward and hoping that sometime next month we’ll have the opportunity to hear either the governor or members of the legislature tell us they’re on board to do the next $2 million," she said.

Officials are aiming to complete the project within a year, and White said that by improving the amphitheatre, the state will be making an investment in the future of the region.

"It’s just an absolute historic treasure," she said. "It’s something to be preserved but it’s something also to breathe life in for the next generation."