Ballots have gone out for certain areas of the Mid-Columbia, for the February 11th special election.

  Richland voters will decide fate of new performing arts center

The Richland Public Facilities District is now the leader in the effort to bring a performing arts center to the Mid-Columbia.

According to the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, last October the PFD voted to place the proposal on the February special elections ballot.  The proposed Mid- Columbia Performing Arts Center would be located in the west end of Columbia Park, her the REACH Museum.

105.3 KISS FM logo
Get our free mobile app

It would have a main theater seating around 800 people, plus a 2,500 square-foot community space, a gallery, offices, kitchen, and rooms to be used by performing groups.

THe $81 million dollar project would take about a year-and-a-half to complete, according to the TCAJOB.

Nearly two dozen local community groups are supporting the project, including TRIDEC, Tri-City Regional Chamber, Visit Tri-Cities, and the Richland Chamber.

Richland voters will decide, and according to the TCAJOB:

"The proposed tax increase would put Richland’s sales tax on level with Pasco and Walla Walla. If approved, it would generate nearly $4.3 million in 2026 for the arts center project, with the amount projected to increase in the years following."

LOOK: Major US city skylines in photos, then and now

Stacker consulted photo archives and the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat to see how 15 U.S. city skylines evolved in the past century.

Gallery Credit: Stacker