Encore Rialto: 5 Ways To Revive a Flourishing Theater

More than 200 people packed the Sunday at hosted by the .

With Rialto paintings and memorabilia as the backdrop, residents heard from three panelists involved with the restoration of historic theaters around L.A.

Here's what went down in a Q&A moderated by Chamber President Scott Feldmann:

1. How much does it cost to restore a historic theatre?

The restoration of Fox Pomona only took about $400,000; it was the major structural changes—like a bar and lounge area—that helped absorb its $10 million budget. 

"So much depends on what you're going to do with the theater," said Ed Kelsey, General Manager of The Orpheum. 

"...Making the theatre look nice inside is not that much money, but the things you might have to do to make it legal to occupy, and make it comfortable and feasible—the restrooms, concession areas, ADA access, new stage equipment—those are the kind of things that really bring your budget up."

2. If the Rialto were to reopen, would it help the local economy? 

All panelists agreed: Yes. 

A local patron who comes out to The Alex Theatre spends $17.51 on a visit in addition to the costs of admission. Out-of-towners, on the other hand, will spend $30—and 61 percent of the theater's attendees are from outside the area. This means they are spending $30 on food, shopping, etc., said Barry McComb, CEO of Glendale Arts. 

In Pomona, the opening of Fox Pomona has created a thriving downtown with monthly art walks that draw approximately 3,000 people.

"For the first time in over 20 years, we actually have some concerns about parking," said John Clifford, President of Friends of the Fox Pomona. 

3. If the Rialto were your theater, what would you do with it? 

"Bring in outside acts but also support the community," said Kelsey, who said he would keep the Rialto's stage the same size but add nice comfortable seating. 

4. Must you rely on live music? Is NetFlix going to kill the multiplexes? Will we be able to differentiate? 

With the change in people's viewing habits, the demand for movies on the big screen seems to be shrinking, said McComb. 

Clifford noted: There are no movies theaters in Pomona, which has a population of 150,000. 

"If you were to go in that direction [of a single screen], you certainly couldn't do it on your own because you wouldn't get distribution rights in this town," said McComb. "You would have to find another chain to run the theater for you or affiliate yourself with AFI."

5. What is the magic number of seats to keep the theater profitable?

The first question to answer is: What's the programming going to be? 

The Pomona Fox has no permanent seating on the ground floor, but approximately 500 seats in the balcony. 

A huge audience can be intimidating to performers. A lot of comedians don't want to perform to 2,000 people, said McComb. 

Photos from the event can be viewed to your right. 

[Correction: The article originally stated the incorrect amount of money it took to restore The Orpheum. The theatre cost $3.5 million to renovate. Patch regrets the error.]