WXXI: Renaissance Square Backers Stump for Funding (2008-08-27)

As members of the board of directors of Renaissance Square struggle to boost enthusiasm for a theater at the downtown community college and transport complex, Rochester's mayor continues to be removed from the process.

Mayor Robert Duffy, County Executive Maggie Brooks, and the heads of Monroe Community College and Rochester's bus service all sit on the board of Renaissance Square, but Duffy has failed to appear for the last few events promoting the project. That included a Wednesday luncheon that featured speakers extolling the value of a downtown arts scene.

Don Jeffries was one of those speakers. He's the president of the Rochester Broadway Theater League. He says Renaissance Square is the "right project" at the "right time" at the "right price." Jeffries says for now, the Auditorium Theater, which is slightly smaller than the proposed Renaissance Square theatre, is fulfilling the community's needs.

County Executive Brooks is working hard to drum up support for the arts center part of Renaissance Square, which Duffy has publicly distanced himself from, and which still needs $55 million to get off the ground. Brooks repeated her warning that progress on Renaissance Square needs to go forward quickly, to keep 175 million dollars in federal funds in hand. Those funds have already been reauthorized twice -- an unusual move for federal dollars -- and New York Senator Charles Schumer has threatened that he won't advocate for the funds to stay in Rochester if the project doesn't begin to show results. Brooks says that the funds, if lost, won't go to another Rochester site, but will instead to go some other project, in some other state.

Duffy's office says that he's out for the week on a long-scheduled break to spend time with family, and that the invitation to Wednesday's event came too late.

Duffy has been publicly critical of Ren Square, and his spokesperson reiterated that the mayor doesn't think the fundraising effort for the project is credible. The mayor's office says he still wants to know who will own the theatre if it's built, who will lead the fundraising effort to gather the remaining $55 million needed for the project, and who will take in donated funds.