The Legacy Theater in Carthage has a new owner that’s already quite familiar with the venue.
“We’re excited with this move that helps solidify what we’re doing,” said Doug Groth, President of the Legacy Theater Foundation, Inc.
The foundation is a not-for-profit, volunteer group that’s been helping the city run the theater. Now, it’s buying the building from the city for $100.
Groth said the timing seems right for the foundation to take control.
“Fiscally, we feel we’re very sound with some money in savings to be able to handle repair bills,” he said. “We had a great run coming out of COVID, we’ve been very good with donors, we’re very solid to go forward with that ownership responsibly.”
The city will help out financially during the first few years of the transition. It will pay the foundation $20,000 in the first year and $10,000 in each of the next two years.
Like Groth, Mayor Jim Nightingale said it makes sense to turn over the theater to the foundation.
“The city’s not in the theater business. Our water, our infrastructure, that’s the important thing to the city. So now we’re ready to turn it over to them and move on,” he said.
Nightingale said he’s looking forward to more shows at the Legacy that bring more people to Carthage.
“I know there’s a lot of people who come to Carthage for the shows who haven’t been here before. That’s a big plus. And they spend money in the community. That’s a big plus too,” said Nightingale.
The next show is scheduled for July 7. It will feature country music artist Drew Green, with local country musician Craig Corzatt as the opening act.
Background on the building
The theater was built as an auditorium for Carthage College in 1953.
Through the years, it was used by both Carthage and Robert Morris Colleges. It then sat vacant for a number of years before Prairieland Investment Group bought the campus in 2007. The building was then donated to Carl Sandburg College in 2008 for its branch campus in Carthage.
Groth credited the college with improving and updating the theater.
“It was a major renovation. A great investment for the community here,” said Groth.
Sandburg sold the building to the city in 2016 for $100 – the same price the foundation will now pay to acquire the theater from the city.
Groth said the foundation’s short-term goal is to sell a lot of tickets to their shows. A longer-term goal is to expand the lobby area and add concessions. In addition, he hoped they can eventually hire full-time employees to run the theater. Currently the Legacy has two part-time employees who are assisted by members of the foundation board.
Groth said the venue hosts more than live shows in the 528-seat theater. It’s also rented out for various community functions.
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