Nonprofit CEO details mission for expansion, operation of Payne Park Auditorium

When The Players Centre for Performing Arts moves into Payne Park Auditorium to begin its 2025-26 season in September 2025, the venerable facility will have a new look, a fresh brand and 50% more square footage.

To accomplish this, The Players Inc. has spun off The Stage at Payne Park LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary nonprofit. The new organization will guide an $8 million to $9 million renovation and expansion to create and operate a contemporary, flexible live performance space with a seating capacity of nearly 300. 

The Stage will launch a capital campaign for the work in September, which The Players will match dollar-for-dollar up to $4 million.

Led by CEO Brian McCarthy, who also sits on The Players Board of Trustees, the mission is two-fold. 

“One is to bring in the general contractors and everything needed to convert this space into a community performing arts center,” McCarthy said. “No. 2 is to head up the capital campaign to raise the money to build this facility.”

Currently about 10,000 square feet, plans include expanding the building by 5,000 square feet in order to make it a fully functional performing arts venue. 

“We're going to keep the look of the existing auditorium and we will expand it to add a lobby, and we need to have some ancillary facilities like bathrooms, a box office, concessions and some offices,” McCarthy said. “We need to increase the backstage area for a green room, storage and bathrooms for the backstage. One thing that facility is lacking is sufficient bathrooms.”

McCarthy knows something about building facilities. He is the CEO of The Pickleball Club LLC, which recently opened an indoor club just south of Lakewood Ranch on Sarasota Center Boulevard.

The city has entered into a 10-year lease with The Players with two subsequent 10-year renewals, subject to agreement by both parties. It will pay the city $100 per year plus $1 per ticket sold for each performance. The Players will assume responsibility for all expenses related to capital repairs and replacement, interior and exterior maintenance, utilities, insurance and any taxes. The city will complete repair and replacement of the roof damaged during Hurricane Ian.

“The facility will have just under 300 seats,” McCarthy said. “They'll be collapsible and mobile so we can move them to the sides or we can configure in a more traditional seating arrangement. Or we could do something like theater in the round.”

That flexibility is important because The Stage at Payne Park is intended to serve as an asset to multiple community performing arts organizations. The Players will use the building for about half the year, leaving ample opportunity to rent the space to other arts groups.

“We only have to fill up the other half of the year to make it an economically viable model, which it need it to be, so everybody's going to pay for the space, but it will be much less expensive for them,” McCarthy said. “It's going to be very flexible and it's going to be state-of-the-art. We can reconfigure the space very efficiently and easily. Someone come in and have a one-night performance and then reconfigure it the next day for another use. 

“We would have a permanent staff so that the other organizations don't have to go and mobilize logistics people and technical people. The permanent staff will be more efficient in being able to set it up.”

The Stage is finalizing the project team with the selection of an architect, engineer, general contractor and business development leader for key positions in the project. An announcement on the architect selection is expected this week. Initial goals for The Stage include convening a consortium of performing arts groups in August for input on design and unique requirements for their organizations. In September, it plans to hold a community workshop.

Parking will also be added.

“We do have to improve the parking area because much of the parking there is on the grass,” McCarthy said. “We're not going to be very intrusive because we're staying within the envelope. We're not intruding on the tennis courts or the playgrounds, running paths, or any of those things, so it's a fairly small footprint.”