Features
Performance Hall’s Potty Problems
The line for the ladies’ room at DeVos Performance Hall is simply too long, so officials in Grand Rapids, Mich., are weighing what could be some expensive solutions to the venue’s potty problem.
A study by a local architecture firm recently found women wait an average of 14 minutes for the restroom at the venue during intermission, compared with a wait time of four minutes for men, according to the Grand Rapids Press.
The wait times haven’t gone over well with organizations like Broadway Grand Rapids, which produces many shows that attract large female audiences to the venue such as “Mamma Mia” and “The Wizard of Oz.”
Broadway Grand Rapids Executive Director Mike Lloyd told the paper the lack of a center aisle in the hall and 15-minute intermissions have exacerbated the problem.
Potential solutions officials are reportedly considering include adding five stalls to an existing women’s restroom for $69,000 or converting a men’s room in the lobby to a women’s restroom and building two new men’s restrooms for $295,000.
Assistant GM Jim Watt told the Press the second solution is more expensive because it would require installing new waste and water lines. He added he plans to make a recommendation to the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention and Arena Authority next month.