ASHLAND, Ky.

Wednesday, September 06, 2000

ASHLAND, Ky. – Crews will begin construction on the expansion and renovation of the Paramount Arts Center today, after officials celebrated the start of the project with a ground-breaking ceremony Tuesday.

The new stagehouse was designed by the Louis & Henry Group of Louisville and will be built by the Neighborgall Construction Co. of Huntington, W.Va., said Kathy Timmons, Paramount executive director.

The project is expected to be completed by October 2001, she said.

Ms. Timmons said the arts center will become "the best performing arts venue in Kentucky east of Louisville."

She said the $8 million project will include seating for 1,400, a stage from which Broadway-sized performances can be mounted, state-of-the-art light and sound, and much larger dressing rooms and rehearsal halls.

"The Paramount is a community treasure," she said. "The 69-year-old movie house was saved from demolition in 1972 and was transformed into the performing arts center it is today. The state rose to the occasion in two different budget sessions to award over $5 million to the project. The key that turned this whole project into something it wasn’t is the acquisition of the property behind the Paramount."

PAC officials were able to annex the former Downtown Cleaner after the arts center was able to raise $1.5 million in 1997, Ms. Timmons said.

Various state, public and private sources have helped secure the additional funding needed for the expansion project," she said.

Kentucky Gov. Paul E. Patton, his wife and First Lady Judi Patton, Ashland Mayor Rudy Dunnigan, representatives from Boyd County, the Kentucky General Assembly, and the arts center were at the ceremony.

Patton said it was only appropriate for tax money to be returned to the community.

"For the community to make this kind of investment, it would be a travesty for the state to not take part," Patton said.

Dunningan said the occasion was a time to honor an historical site.

"This is a time to honor a beautiful place," he said.