The Players sees opportunity in Payne Park

Once the city staff desks and office equipment are removed from the floor of Payne Park Auditorium, there will be a blank canvas for The Players Centre for Performing Arts to make its own.

The seven-year search for a permanent home for the nearly century-old community theater appears to have ended at the city-owned building in Payne Park. 

The Players and the city are drafting a 10-year lease agreement to rent the building for $100 per year plus $1 per ticket sold. The agreement will include options for two successive 10-year extensions.

In exchange, The Players will invest heavily in upgrades and equipment to retrofit the space to accommodate live theater performances — “In the millions,” according to Executive Director William Skaggs — while the city will be responsible for replacing the Hurricane Ian-damaged roof.

The building is currently occupied by Sarasota Parks and Recreation Department staff.

Sarasota city commissioners authorized staff to prepare a lease agreement to present for approval, which won’t happen unless until July as the commission takes its traditional June break. Meanwhile, Skaggs and company are planning how to best utilize the building and outdoor space.

The Players has been in pursuit of a new home since selling its downtown property in 2016. In 2018, it entered into an agreement with Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch to build a $30 million theater complex at Waterside Village. In 2020, The Players vacated its downtown theater and moved performances to a temporary location in vacant retail space at The Crossings at Siesta on South Tamiami Trail. There, it has 140 seats surrounding a central stage. 

After the Lakewood Ranch plans failed to materialize, in March 2022 the troupe turned its attention to Municipal Auditorium in downtown located within The Bay, the city-owned 53-acre park under development by the Bay Park Conservancy in partnership with the city. Skaggs, who joined The Players 2.5 years ago, doubled down on efforts to move The Players to the city-owned auditorium.

File photo

Unable to reach an agreement with the Bay Park Conservancy for use and management control of that building, city commissioners in October 2022 suggested The Players consider Payne Park Auditorium for its future needs.

Skaggs said depending upon configuration, the space can accommodate seating for up to 300.

“The fact that it is largely an open space is actually very good because what we want to do is create a space that is not only valuable for The Players, we want to engage many other community-based arts organizations that oftentimes need 250 to maybe 300 seats,” Skaggs said. “For them to be able to have more options, maybe a regular venue that they can depend on, we can work with them on scheduling. We want it to be a very convertible space. 

“If somebody wants theater in the round, let’s do that. If they want a thrust setup, let's do that. If they want multiple rows of seating facing just one end of the building let's be able to do that, too. Flexibility is key as to how we want to build out the space and make it as useful for as many parties as possible.”

Opportunity abounds

The Players may possibly explore an eventual expansion of the Payne Park Auditorium, but for now Skaggs said the objective is to reach a lease agreement and go about making the building suitable for live theater. More than shopping for moveable seating, requirements include proper acoustics, dressing rooms, backstage facilities, even bringing the restroom facilities up to code. The public park's location offers plenty of parking nearby. The Players’ lease proposal includes land surrounding the building, which Skaggs is adamant is not planned for parking but for outdoor uses.

Because Laurel Street is a dead end just east of the auditorium, a paved loop around the front of the building and perhaps a few parking spaces may be in order immediately adjacent to the building plus space for drop-off and pick-up. Otherwise, the outdoor space under the lease would remain open.

“We need to think about the age of a lot of our patrons and ADA requirements,” Skaggs said. 

Inside, there is a stage of sorts on one end of the floor. Among the original uses of the building were dances and public speakers for which wing space was not needed. Nor were dressing rooms or space to store stage props. The Players will address those needs as it forms its renovations plans. 

“We will see how we can utilize the whole space and make it as useful and flexible as we can,” said Skaggs.

Payne Park Auditorium isn’t a new $30 million facility in the suburbs, nor is it the 900-seat Municipal Auditorium. What it is, Skaggs said, is an opportunity to establish a new home for a historic cultural organization in the next part of downtown poised for growth. 

The luxury apartment and retail development One Main Plaza is underway just a few blocks away on Main Street. Two blocks west of there, luxury condo and hotel tower, SOTA, is scheduled to start this summer. And next to Payne Park Artist Court, a 139-unit luxury apartment development, is planned at South Washington Boulevard and Adams Lane.

“From an overall economic development perspective, Payne Park actually sits in one of the federal opportunity zones that exists in Sarasota,” Skaggs said. “As a nonprofit locating on government property there's no monetary value to us making this investment, so not only does the city partnering with a nonprofit bring more activity and even more spending, but even more reasons for people to live work and play right in downtown.”