North Bay's Capitol Centre is opening its theatre doors wider to meetings and conferences.
With close to 300 concerts, theatrical performances and other activities being staged every year, the downtown Main Street hall is a busy place.
Though general manager Dee Adrian has been credited for the financial and physical turnaround of the stately 80-year-old venue, it's a constant struggle to reach the break-even financial position.
“With performing arts, we're in the world of not-for-profit,” said Adrian. “You're not going to generate all your revenue from shows. It is not going to happen.”
However, she has demonstrated a magic touch in dreaming up and planning new activities to open up virtually every square foot of the building.
Capitol staff are looking to grow out their room rental business for corporate gigs, receptions and parties. The 30 meetings they host annually is a “minuscule amount” that Adrian wants to expand upon by raising awareness through word of mouth and repeat business.
“People don't connect a performing arts venue as a meeting conference room.”
But once they walk in, it turns heads.
Relying heavily and creatively of using city and government grants as well as corporate sponsors, the Capitol has renovated and furnished two elegant meeting rooms and hired a special events intern to book them.
When the Capitol opened in June 1929, it was described as a "palace of splendor."
The place had fallen on hard times in the decades that followed until Adrian's arrival in 1999.
Together with her seven-person staff, they spent considerable effort to preserve the historical integrity of the building's interior in restoring it to its original lustre.
“We're an old Vaudeville theatre and I've tried very hard to retain that in everything I've done.”
They have also blended some modern amenities such as a huge concession bar and in-house catering.
“We have everything that a meeting space would require from projector to screen to laptop capabilities, kitchen and (liquor) licensed rooms,” said Adrian.
“We have anything you might require from a white board to projector facilities, whether showing a movie or a PowerPoint presentation at a podium, you don't have to haul it here.”
The Capitol is already a popular place for weddings.
Where else can a bride walk down the aisle of a 1,000-seat theatre, get married on-stage and have the couples' names placed up on the marquee?
“We've done quite a few weddings in the past year,” said Adrian. “These are patrons that have either come to shows or people who look at the uniqueness of the place, especially brides, and want something that's one in a million.”
To book the theatre for a wedding is in the $2,500 range. To show a movie for a staff function is $1,000.
For parties and meeting rentals, the Capitol has two other function rooms: the Creative Interiors Martini Lounge and the RBC Galaxy Circle Lounge.
Refurbished and styled as a cozy New York cocktail bar, the main floor martini lounge has a seating capacity of 40. It's perfect for happy hours, staff parties and special celebrations. For corporate gigs, they can mix up a custom-made drink in your company colours.
Patrons can stroll out into the WKP Kennedy Gallery which houses a collection worth an estimated $400,000. The upstairs RBC Galaxy Circle Lounge is furnished with a bar, connecting kitchen, a baby grand piano and adorned with works of art from the Capitol Centre's collection. With a high floor-to-ceiling windows, the room is capable of accommodating 60 people for dinner and 100 for a cocktail party.
However, it is not wheelchair accessible since the building does not have an elevator.
It's not uncommon for the Capitol Centre to host four events simultaneously. When they stage their annual wine gala, their chief fundraising event, almost every public space in the building is occupied.
“It's become bigger business for us as we stretch and work with these corporations that want something a little different,” said Adrian.
“We've developed an internal team that can do this type of special events planning and coordinating. We can secure the artist, a movie, and we have our catering done internally so we're ready to please everyone.”
Rooms can be furnished with company logos or with a certain comfortable ambiance created for a client's professional workshop or a wedding anniversary.
“What I find is people will come and say, I didn't realize you were able to do this. That's what I hear time and time again.” said Adrian.
All of her administrative staff pitches in to help with special events and catering. “They're passionate about generating revenue to keep the building open. We develop all sorts of new ideas and people here in the building get on board. With a not-for-profit, everyone is very resourceful and creative.”
Booking a room for full day rental is $200. An in-house catering menu of appetizers, platters, salads, meals, desserts and beverages is available.
There are additional hourly fees for front-of-house manager, a special events coordinator, bartender, sound technician and technical director.
The Capitol is in the process of renovating a downstairs kitchen, installing new appliances this summer.
Three cubicle work stations are being created in the basement for outside organizations with contract positions, small businesses using temporary workers, or visitors who need a work space to rent on a daily or monthly basis.
“We've turned what was a horrid space into an executive space,” said Adrian.
With new hotel construction in North Bay, Capitol staff hope to attract some spinoff business.
“It's a growing business if people wrap their head around the fact that a performing arts theatre can be a convention centre as well.”
www.capitolcentre.ca
