Rhode Island PAC Debuts

The old Park Cinema in Cranston, R.I., completed its transformation into the Rhode Island Center for the Performing Arts with a public unveiling Oct. 23.

The refurbished facility now seats 1,150 and includes a restaurant, lounge, banquet hall and café. A full schedule of upcoming live events hasn’t been posted but annual events are expected to include a theatrical series, concerts, locally produced events and a film series, according to a venue statement.

The $10 million renovation project was spearheaded by local developers Piyush Patel and Paul Plourde, who used no public money or other subsidies for the restoration of the 1924-era building that had been closed since 2002.