DENVER — The Colorado Symphony is planning a comprehensive $120 million renovation of Boettcher Concert Hall, the nearly 50-year-old home of the orchestra inside Denver's Performing Arts Complex.
The project will address health and safety upgrades, accessibility improvements, updated seating and acoustics, improved lobby and event spaces, and the addition of an education center.
Julie DeWoody, the Colorado Symphony's chief philanthropy officer, said the facility is overdue for a major overhaul.
"Everything from health and safety upgrades, accessibility will be improving, updating the seating, the acoustics, improved lobby and event spaces," DeWoody said.
The majority of the project cost is already secured through the Vibrant Denver bond, Denver Arts and Venues and city funds. The Colorado Symphony is responsible for raising the remaining $15 million through the sale of naming rights to the building, individual spaces such as the lobby, and even individual seats within the hall.
DeWoody said selling naming rights is a proven strategy for funding public projects.
"It's something that the city has done in partnership with other organizations for other facilities. Utilizing naming rights is a huge tool to secure private support for public projects," DeWoody said.
The concert hall itself will retain the Boettcher name in perpetuity. However, the broader building it sits inside is eligible to be renamed — and under the terms of the agreement with the city of Denver, the name must belong to an individual, family or foundation, not a corporation.
"That's a celebration of leaders in the community. It's a celebration of philanthropy, which is somewhat different than the corporate sponsorship, like a Pepsi Center," DeWoody said.
Opened in 1978, Boettcher Concert Hall was the first in-the-round concert venue in the United States, with seating surrounding the stage on all sides so patrons can view the orchestra from multiple perspectives.
Construction is planned to begin in the summer of 2028. The symphony will perform elsewhere for 15 months during construction, with a slated reopening in the fall of 2029.
DeWoody said the renovation is about more than the music.
"This is not just about the arts and the incredible artistry that happens in this hall. This is also about bringing our community together," DeWoody said.
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