Commttee begins to weigh options for Van Wezel

After more than a year of information gathering and receiving presentations, Sarasota’s Purple Ribbon Committee is turning the page toward preparing its report to the City Commission. 

For the first time since it began meeting in the summer of 2023, the ad hoc group on Feb. 12 entered into discussions of its impressions of the data received to date, with a little more yet to come, as it begins to develop its recommendations for the repurposing of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. 

That re-use depends on whether the City Commission approves an implementation agreement — due in March — with the Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation that would allow the next stage design work to begin on a new Sarasota Performing Arts Hall. If not, at least for now, the Van Wezel will continue its current use.

Some members appear to have staked positions on some potential uses for what is now, at 1,741 seats, the city’s primary performance venue. 

There appeared consensus, barring any new data, that a survey among performing arts groups throughout the community demonstrated little interest in staging at the Van Wezel either because of its size and cost, which is prohibitive for community arts organizations. That survey yielded only a 15% response.

“I'm not sure how anybody can make a recommendation when we don't have sufficient input,” said member David Rovine. 

Facilitator Jim Shirley suggested a partial reason for the apathy.

“Several of the bigger groups did not respond because they have a venue and don't have need for another venue,” Shirley said. “There was no need for them to respond because they've got a place. They’re not going to go to another place.”

Any recommendation the committee makes will also likely not include converting the Van Wezel into a meeting and convention space. During her appearance before the committee, Visit Sarasota County President and CEO Erin Duggan said Sarasota is a niche meeting destination without the need for a space that large, and meeting organizers that do consider Sarasota generally look for spaces located within, or in close proximity to, hotels.

Presenters from Ringing College or Art and Design had presented the possibility of the Van Wezel becoming a destination for immersive exhibits and entertainment.

“I think we all heard that immersive entertainment is what's happening now,” said Rovine.

That may be, but, countered Charles Cosler, “I think that this type of entertainment takes a big population, a bigger population than we have here. Even in the greater Sarasota area, I can't imagine that you could put together a building and support it with just that, like they've done in Las Vegas and other places.”

Any discussion about the Van Wezel as an extreme sports venue also gained no traction in the initial discussion. 

That leaves the committee, for now at least, where it started as it awaits the final Karins Engineering report on the building, due at its Feb. 24 meeting, and with five months remaining until its report is due.