When you follow the pointed fingers, the answer to this question may surprise you.<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"state1\"](\"http:\/\/www.portlandmonthly.com\/portmag\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/state1.jpg\" "\\"state1\\"")
T<\/span>he specter of an empty State Theatre has been haunting Congress Street for years now. Restored and reopened to acclaim between 1994-2006 (with its gilt balconies and Moorish theme, it was like stepping into a vaulted palace in New<\/em> Arabian Nights<\/em>), it has remained shuttered since and shrouded in silence with no promise of reopening ever.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nIts decline from grand-dame cinema status to that of a smut-film street mistress and the rocky road to its current dormancy is one of the more tragic stories rattling its chains along Congress Street. Built in 1929, it operated as a first-run movie house until the 1960s, when it became a porn theater, closing in 1989.<\/span><\/p>\nIf the world made sense, you\u2019d have to imagine angry Portland residents thronging the doors to demand the circumstances of the State\u2019s current closure, especially given the good will campaign launched in the early 1990s to build support for its reopening\u2013a triumph for downtown community volunteerism. But instead, we\u2019ve largely been quiet, with only the sound of cars slushing past its darkened interior on their way to the Maine Mall.<\/span><\/p>\nIt was bad enough when the theater was reduced to a desultory venue for porn flicks. Now, we\u2019ve discovered there\u2019s a plane of entertainment existence even lower than that, something that\u2019s happened on \u2018our\u2019 watch as we\u2019ve watched it die\u2013that is, nothing<\/em>. To better understand what series of events has conspired to kidnap the State Theatre from its audience, and by association, our city\u2019s dreams from a decade ago, let\u2019s visit the ghosts of the State Theatre\u2019s past, present, and future to find what really happened and what the future may hold.<\/span><\/p>\nThe Ghost of State Theatre Past: Kevin LeDuc, photographer<\/strong><\/p>\nIn the years leading to 1993, the State was in a state of being and nothingness quite similar to where it is today: shuttered, in disrepair, and struggling with the expectations of a city which had previously held high hope for this grand drawing card.<\/span><\/p>\nPhotographer Kevin LeDuc was there from the very genesis of this renaissance. As the official photographer of the State Theatre, he worked under Kelly Graves and Steve Bailey, who were the operators of the business and producers of the exciting new events.<\/span><\/p>\nIt may not be a surprise to learn that Nick and Lola Kampf, the owners of the wondrous new State, were perhaps in over their heads.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cLola was a great woman to work with,\u201d LeDuc says. \u201cShe was gracious, gregarious, really excited about the theater. But my recollection is, we never saw Nick, unless he was there to stop any one of Lola\u2019s projects. She would work with Kelly to establish these great plans, and Nick would refuse to fund them. It was obvious there was something really wrong there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nIn spite of the apparent disconnect at the management level, the State greeted the community of Portland with open doors and arms, reclaiming its 1920s grandeur as a vital part of the city. A showing of the classic The Wizard of Oz<\/em> on the State\u2019s enormous cinema screen was no average affair; kids in full regalia walked down a Congress Street as though following the Yellow Brick Road. With cafe tables, drinks, and an artsy menu bringing the audience right up to the stage, the theater regularly held \u201cdinner and a show\u201d nights where featured artists often mingled with the crowds before taking to the stage. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe night Bob Dylan came, Dylan\u2019s people were really strange about photographs, and they had made it clear that none would be taken during the show,\u201d LeDuc says.<\/span><\/p>\nBut the resourceful Graves found a way to snap some shots celebrating the event in spite of the dictum. \u201cKelly told me to stick around. Before long, at the pre-show dinner, I was under banquet tables with my camera, shooting Dylan from customers\u2019 laps. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cDylan was there as a favor,\u201d LeDuc says. \u201cThey were friends, Dylan and Kelly and Steve. They\u2019d worked together before, and he came to play the State to help out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nFavors poured in from everywhere, not just from on high. The groundswell of support was so massive for the reopening of the State, most of the people working were actually volunteers, allowing the State to be staffed with as few as three people sometimes. With this kind of stone soup in play\u00baand a Rolodex containing famous friends, the State seemed poised for limitless success. To put things over the top, the owners permitted the installation of top-notch audio equipment. \u201cWe had the best sound system in New England\u2013a huge selling point.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nBut, altogether too soon, the ceiling came crashing down, literally. During a show, a huge chunk of plaster from the theater\u2019s ceiling fell on the audience, creating an immediate fiasco and a far more troubling long-term concern. As far as observers can determine, because <\/em>the ceiling had recently been rehabbed, the Kampfs refused to pay. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIn August of 1995, an argument took place about who was really to pay for these repairs, the owners or the operators, and this effectively closed the theater until an agreement was reached.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nAfter repairs, the theater reopened, only to be silenced more soundly a few months later when a larger piece of the ceiling dislodged and fell to the audience during a particularly raucous Barenaked Ladies show. <\/span><\/p>\nThis nail, or its apparent lack, was the last in the coffin for the Kampfs. The State was officially shuttered in January 1996. <\/span><\/p>\nThe Ghost of State Theatre Present: Wally Wentzel, sound engineer<\/strong><\/p>\nIn 2000, Grant Wilson, Jr., of Stone Coast Brewing took ownership control of the State Theatre building and reopened the venue with a new energy. Hoping to capitalize on the energy of the live music industry around the Northeast, he began hands-on operation to ride the wave here. <\/span><\/p>\nDuring this time, local soundman and musician Wally Wentzel was brought on board as house sound engineer. Despite a wealth of road experience managing large systems, he quickly tried to make the best of the State\u2019s now aging sound equipment and navigate its byzantine wiring. <\/span><\/p>\nThis challenge meant that for most of the shows, he\u2019d have to truck in additional sound equipment at a substantial cost, diminishing their profits and budgets for necessary upgrades and repairs. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe place was a whale. It needed an entirely new electrical system. I swear that it was still the same panels from the original 1929 install.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nAnother significant repair going untended proved to be a turning point in the fate of the State. Fire escapes all over the building were broken and unsecured, and this was gaining attention. <\/span><\/p>\n\u201cThe State was a union shop up until that point, and then they just walked out. People refused to work because of safety conditions, saying that it was too dangerous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThen there was the supernatural thing. Shortly after arriving, Wentzel presented a show called \u201cThe Haunting of the State,\u201d a multi-band showcase featuring his own fright-rock band, The Horror. It was as much an attempt at a financially solvent show as it was a chance to build some good will in the local music community. <\/span><\/p>\nWhile it got a fair amount of local press and a respectable crowd, the show seemed equally as much a muse for Horror frontman\/mastermind and \u201cHaunting\u201d co-presenter Ricky Boy Floyd, who debuted his shock flick Attack of the 50 Foot Liar<\/em> that same evening.<\/span><\/p>\nThe period was rife with unusual behavior. \u201c(Floyd) had me lock him in the State overnight, wanting to see if he could freak himself out. All he had on him was an old Walkman with a cassette of the soundtrack to The Shining<\/em>. That might have been the most scared I\u2019ve ever seen that guy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe following years, the State\u2019s doors opened and closed in fits and starts. It was closed for a portion of 2003, but open long enough for the wildly popular rock band Guster to mount a production here in Dec-ember for the filming of a live DVD, spanning two nights of concert performances.<\/span><\/p>\nWhy, then, was the State safe enough for Guster to play but unsafe otherwise?<\/span><\/p>\n Released in May of 2004, Guster on Ice: Live from Portland, Maine<\/em> is a thrilling reminder of a State Theatre of the past, showing a jubilant audience on their feet and a venue seemingly free of the problems that have ruined so many years. Vividly and poignantly, it shows what we\u2019ve been missing and what\u2019s been so curiously held away from us.<\/span><\/p>\nIn early 2006, Maine Entertainment, LLC, the firm that had been operating the theater under an agreement with owner Grant Wilson was officially evicted due to failure to pay rent. Since then, the State has remained closed.<\/span><\/p>\nFlying in the face of its current emptiness, Wentzel insists that The State is occupied<\/em>. \u201cOh yeah, it\u2019s totally haunted. No doubt. I\u2019ve encountered spirits around the old projection room. So many people that have mentioned getting \u201cgrabbed\u201d while walking upstairs, like the stairway up to the green room.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nUncannily, this is the same stairwell where, in the State\u2019s previous incarnation, photographer LeDuc had long since displayed a veritable night gallery of his portraits of performers past. <\/span><\/p>\nFuture: The State Theatre, Vacant Performing Arts Building<\/strong><\/p>\nThere is a fair amount of trying to reconcile past issues. \u201cI\u2019d point it at the ownership,\u201d says photographer LeDuc. \u201cAt least 90 percent. If you\u2019re the owner, you\u2019re obligated to fix things. That\u2019s the bottom line.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nBut what about city inspectors who appear, at least from an audience perspective, one day to permit performances, only to imply it\u2019s not up to code the next?<\/span><\/p>\nNo matter how sordid the past or grievous the present, there\u2019s nothing more frightening than what faces us now: a massive, vacuous, dark building occupying a central location in downtown Portland. Worse than that, it\u2019s beauty unseen.<\/span><\/p>\nWhile stories vary from sentimental to sour, fewer people are talking about the State Theatre. It\u2019s more of a rant now.<\/span><\/p>\nSome cry out that the most obvious reason for the indefinite vacancy is the lease agreement for operators, reported to be lopsided and inequitable. Soundman Wentzel confirms, \u201cFrom what I understand, they\u2019re asking for a 25-year duration and an unreasonable monthly rent. Who can do that these days?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAndy Verzosa, owner of Aucocisco Gallery, is a former tenant of the State Theatre block, where he ran his gallery for 10 years. \u201cIt\u2019s a business, and they\u2019ve got to get their money out of it. If you see the listing of available spaces (in the office building adjacent to the theater), you\u2019ll see two and a half pages of open studios and storefronts because, like the theater, the rents are too high. The high rents are killing that neighborhood, so I moved. If you really want to see that whole place succeed, condo everything. Give all of the business owners the chance to own their own piece of real estate on that block. Then, take the money from selling these spaces and fund the renovation of the theater. You\u2019ll have private individuals, not big absentee companies, owning property on Congress Street. You\u2019ll revitalize not only that building, but the whole neighborhood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nThe most accurate and current picture of the State is revealed by the property management office itself. \u201cThere are no plans. Nothing is happening right now.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nPromoter Lauren Wayne, who presented countless concerts here for producer Live Nation, confidently states, \u201cIn order for the State to be successful you need to have<\/span> <\/span>three things:<\/span> <\/span>money, an astute business sense,<\/span> <\/span>and a working knowledge of concert promotion and marketing.<\/span> <\/span>If you only have one or two of those things, you\u2019re going to fail. You need all three.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nKevin LeDuc recognizes this but shows his skepticism. \u201cI hate to be a pessimist, but I don\u2019t know if it will ever open again. I don\u2019t think we have the people anymore. You need lots of different strengths, and I am standing on shaky ground if I said there were all the right people, business-wise and music-wise.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nHe finishes with something on everyone\u2019s mind. \u201cTen years have gone by since its last real success. Shouldn\u2019t something have happened by now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nAnd, as members of the State\u2019s lost audience, shouldn\u2019t we all have cared more about what we\u2019ve been missing and insisted upon more direct involvement from our city officers and arts leaders? In this light, haven\u2019t we all killed the State Theatre ourselves or kidnapped the notion of what it could, or should, be? <\/span><\/p>\nThe State Theatre and its adjoining commercial units are currently owned by Stone Coast Properties, controlled by members of the Wilson family and overseen by Ron Goglia. They are cumulatively valued at $4,127,000 <\/strong><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n“W<\/strong><\/span>hy I think the State Theatre isn\u2019t open\u2026”<\/strong><\/h2>\nHilary Bassett, Executive Director of Greater Portland Landmarks<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not precisely sure why it isn\u2019t open. It was amazing when the whole volunteer group got the stage repaired–a great community effort. Lots of people are hoping to see it open again. You should call Jan Beitzer of Portland Downtown District to learn more about this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nDeb Andrews, Historic Preservation Program Manager for the City of Portland<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI really don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t have a strong knowledge of the circumstances there to offer something particularly germane. I\u2019m not trying to be coy, but there are probably others who could help you. You might want to talk to Nelle Hanig or Jan Beitzer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nJan Beitzer, Executive Director of Portland Downtown District<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cBecause they can\u2019t make the building code. I\u2019m not being flip, but…the building has public safety issues, and they have to put a lot of money into it to bring it up to code. I don\u2019t know exactly what the codes are\u2026Have you called Nelle Hanig?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nNelle Hanig, Business Development Representative for the City of Portland<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s my understanding there are a lot of code issues needed to modernize it and make it safe for events.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t know the extent\u00a0 of what needs to be done at the building. You should call the city fire marshal.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\nFrederick LaMontagne, Fire Chief for the City of Portland <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know if there are any outstanding issues with the fire codes, but it would depend on the use, and outstanding violations don\u2019t have a lot of relevance if the previous tenants are no longer there. We would love to work with anyone interested in starting up on the property and would very much like to see it occupied and a thriving part of the neighborhood up there. I suggest you talk to the economic development office.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nJill Duson, Acting Mayor, City of Portland <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since I\u2019ve touched those issues, but I think there are coding and repair issues. Our staff is uniquely qualified to work in partnership to match up the kind of resources that are out there to leverage dollars, if that\u2019s what\u2019s needed. We stand at the ready to meet\u00a0 with the management team and any developers who might be involved to discuss where are we and where can we go. In terms of dollars, the city\u2019s ability is limited in this economy, but our energy level and desire to lend assistance is high.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nBarbara Whitten, President of Greater Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t really know, because [the CVB] hasn\u2019t been connected to the State Theatre in years. But I remember going to the opera there, and it was spectacular. And driving down the street, I\u2019d see a line out the door. It\u2019s a stunning facility, and if it had the support that Merrill Auditorium has, it would be great. But it\u2019s uncared for by people in the community, and it\u2019s too bad. Portland is becoming a destination for cultural events, and the State Theatre could be a jewel in that crown.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nRob Evon, Owner\/General Administrator of Port City Music Hall<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s because of the renovations that are needed to reopen it as a music venue. And the owner doesn\u2019t want to pony up the money. The last estimate I think was over a million dollars. The investment and recovery period for the investment would be huge, and they don\u2019t have the interest in that. My inside track is that the Wilsons are focusing their investment money on places other than Maine. I don\u2019t know why, but I think operating the State Theatre would be financially difficult. It was popular, but 80-90 percent of all State shows were filled to limited capacity\u2013around 300-700 people [out of a possible 1,500]. Being beneficial for the music scene and operating a financially profitable business are two different things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nDavid Marshall, Portland City Councillor, District 2 <\/strong><\/span>\u201cAs I understand it, Stone Coast Properties is doing some work inside the building to bring up some of the codes. They\u2019re eliminating the bathrooms in the basement that didn\u2019t have two means of egress and putting in new bathrooms. They\u2019re putting in some fire escapes and are looking to lease it to a theater company, where the tenant will be responsible for keeping up with the electrical codes. I don\u2019t know what Grant Wilson\u2019s involvement is. I think his parents are more involved at this point. Originally, Stone Coast was trying to find a tenant that would do all the upgrades, but they\u2019ve started to do some things to help prospective tenants out.\u201c<\/span><\/p>\nJoe Gray, Portland City Manager<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI have no idea why they stay closed. I know they\u2019ve been working with our inspection staff on fire-escape and bathroom improvements that they needed to make. I don\u2019t know whether or not there is a code problem or a market-condition problem. My understanding from the inspections is that the fire escapes and bathrooms have already been made, and there are some electrical improvements that they need to make, but nothing that\u2019s preventing them from opening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nKerry Ann McQuade, Receptionist for Stone Coast Properties <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI get calls about that all the time, but it\u2019s dormant. We don\u2019t have tenants; it needs to have a lot of money to renovate it. The building here is commercial space that we have\u2013that\u2019s just locked up and not being used.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\nPerry Glidden, Stone Coast Properties Building Engineer <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt needs a lot of renovation\u2013bathrooms, alarm systems, life-safety systems. People don\u2019t look at the building and see anything but the theater, but they don\u2019t know it\u2019s 100,000 square feet of space that needs to be worked on. Someday the State Theatre will rise again. But it has to do with the economy and the City of Portland. They don\u2019t offer us a lot of incentive. It\u2019s expensive. We\u2019re not talking hundreds of dollars, we\u2019re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. I can\u2019t give an exact amount; it all depends\u2013do you want the Pinto version or the Cadillac version? Either way, we\u2019re not interested in leasing anything that\u2019s not 100 percent up to code. Money\u2019s always an issue, but we\u2019ll get there. \u201c <\/span><\/p>\nGrant Wilson, Jr., Stone Coast Properties <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI haven\u2019t had much to do with the State since I signed my lease for the theater over to Chris Morgan in 2005. The fire department and licensing at the city level have been helpful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
T<\/span>he specter of an empty State Theatre has been haunting Congress Street for years now. Restored and reopened to acclaim between 1994-2006 (with its gilt balconies and Moorish theme, it was like stepping into a vaulted palace in New<\/em> Arabian Nights<\/em>), it has remained shuttered since and shrouded in silence with no promise of reopening ever.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nIts decline from grand-dame cinema status to that of a smut-film street mistress and the rocky road to its current dormancy is one of the more tragic stories rattling its chains along Congress Street. Built in 1929, it operated as a first-run movie house until the 1960s, when it became a porn theater, closing in 1989.<\/span><\/p>\n If the world made sense, you\u2019d have to imagine angry Portland residents thronging the doors to demand the circumstances of the State\u2019s current closure, especially given the good will campaign launched in the early 1990s to build support for its reopening\u2013a triumph for downtown community volunteerism. But instead, we\u2019ve largely been quiet, with only the sound of cars slushing past its darkened interior on their way to the Maine Mall.<\/span><\/p>\n It was bad enough when the theater was reduced to a desultory venue for porn flicks. Now, we\u2019ve discovered there\u2019s a plane of entertainment existence even lower than that, something that\u2019s happened on \u2018our\u2019 watch as we\u2019ve watched it die\u2013that is, nothing<\/em>. To better understand what series of events has conspired to kidnap the State Theatre from its audience, and by association, our city\u2019s dreams from a decade ago, let\u2019s visit the ghosts of the State Theatre\u2019s past, present, and future to find what really happened and what the future may hold.<\/span><\/p>\n The Ghost of State Theatre Past: Kevin LeDuc, photographer<\/strong><\/p>\n In the years leading to 1993, the State was in a state of being and nothingness quite similar to where it is today: shuttered, in disrepair, and struggling with the expectations of a city which had previously held high hope for this grand drawing card.<\/span><\/p>\n Photographer Kevin LeDuc was there from the very genesis of this renaissance. As the official photographer of the State Theatre, he worked under Kelly Graves and Steve Bailey, who were the operators of the business and producers of the exciting new events.<\/span><\/p>\n It may not be a surprise to learn that Nick and Lola Kampf, the owners of the wondrous new State, were perhaps in over their heads.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLola was a great woman to work with,\u201d LeDuc says. \u201cShe was gracious, gregarious, really excited about the theater. But my recollection is, we never saw Nick, unless he was there to stop any one of Lola\u2019s projects. She would work with Kelly to establish these great plans, and Nick would refuse to fund them. It was obvious there was something really wrong there.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n In spite of the apparent disconnect at the management level, the State greeted the community of Portland with open doors and arms, reclaiming its 1920s grandeur as a vital part of the city. A showing of the classic The Wizard of Oz<\/em> on the State\u2019s enormous cinema screen was no average affair; kids in full regalia walked down a Congress Street as though following the Yellow Brick Road. With cafe tables, drinks, and an artsy menu bringing the audience right up to the stage, the theater regularly held \u201cdinner and a show\u201d nights where featured artists often mingled with the crowds before taking to the stage. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe night Bob Dylan came, Dylan\u2019s people were really strange about photographs, and they had made it clear that none would be taken during the show,\u201d LeDuc says.<\/span><\/p>\n But the resourceful Graves found a way to snap some shots celebrating the event in spite of the dictum. \u201cKelly told me to stick around. Before long, at the pre-show dinner, I was under banquet tables with my camera, shooting Dylan from customers\u2019 laps. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDylan was there as a favor,\u201d LeDuc says. \u201cThey were friends, Dylan and Kelly and Steve. They\u2019d worked together before, and he came to play the State to help out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Favors poured in from everywhere, not just from on high. The groundswell of support was so massive for the reopening of the State, most of the people working were actually volunteers, allowing the State to be staffed with as few as three people sometimes. With this kind of stone soup in play\u00baand a Rolodex containing famous friends, the State seemed poised for limitless success. To put things over the top, the owners permitted the installation of top-notch audio equipment. \u201cWe had the best sound system in New England\u2013a huge selling point.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n But, altogether too soon, the ceiling came crashing down, literally. During a show, a huge chunk of plaster from the theater\u2019s ceiling fell on the audience, creating an immediate fiasco and a far more troubling long-term concern. As far as observers can determine, because <\/em>the ceiling had recently been rehabbed, the Kampfs refused to pay. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIn August of 1995, an argument took place about who was really to pay for these repairs, the owners or the operators, and this effectively closed the theater until an agreement was reached.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n After repairs, the theater reopened, only to be silenced more soundly a few months later when a larger piece of the ceiling dislodged and fell to the audience during a particularly raucous Barenaked Ladies show. <\/span><\/p>\n This nail, or its apparent lack, was the last in the coffin for the Kampfs. The State was officially shuttered in January 1996. <\/span><\/p>\n The Ghost of State Theatre Present: Wally Wentzel, sound engineer<\/strong><\/p>\n In 2000, Grant Wilson, Jr., of Stone Coast Brewing took ownership control of the State Theatre building and reopened the venue with a new energy. Hoping to capitalize on the energy of the live music industry around the Northeast, he began hands-on operation to ride the wave here. <\/span><\/p>\n During this time, local soundman and musician Wally Wentzel was brought on board as house sound engineer. Despite a wealth of road experience managing large systems, he quickly tried to make the best of the State\u2019s now aging sound equipment and navigate its byzantine wiring. <\/span><\/p>\n This challenge meant that for most of the shows, he\u2019d have to truck in additional sound equipment at a substantial cost, diminishing their profits and budgets for necessary upgrades and repairs. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe place was a whale. It needed an entirely new electrical system. I swear that it was still the same panels from the original 1929 install.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Another significant repair going untended proved to be a turning point in the fate of the State. Fire escapes all over the building were broken and unsecured, and this was gaining attention. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe State was a union shop up until that point, and then they just walked out. People refused to work because of safety conditions, saying that it was too dangerous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Then there was the supernatural thing. Shortly after arriving, Wentzel presented a show called \u201cThe Haunting of the State,\u201d a multi-band showcase featuring his own fright-rock band, The Horror. It was as much an attempt at a financially solvent show as it was a chance to build some good will in the local music community. <\/span><\/p>\n While it got a fair amount of local press and a respectable crowd, the show seemed equally as much a muse for Horror frontman\/mastermind and \u201cHaunting\u201d co-presenter Ricky Boy Floyd, who debuted his shock flick Attack of the 50 Foot Liar<\/em> that same evening.<\/span><\/p>\n The period was rife with unusual behavior. \u201c(Floyd) had me lock him in the State overnight, wanting to see if he could freak himself out. All he had on him was an old Walkman with a cassette of the soundtrack to The Shining<\/em>. That might have been the most scared I\u2019ve ever seen that guy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The following years, the State\u2019s doors opened and closed in fits and starts. It was closed for a portion of 2003, but open long enough for the wildly popular rock band Guster to mount a production here in Dec-ember for the filming of a live DVD, spanning two nights of concert performances.<\/span><\/p>\n Why, then, was the State safe enough for Guster to play but unsafe otherwise?<\/span><\/p>\n Released in May of 2004, Guster on Ice: Live from Portland, Maine<\/em> is a thrilling reminder of a State Theatre of the past, showing a jubilant audience on their feet and a venue seemingly free of the problems that have ruined so many years. Vividly and poignantly, it shows what we\u2019ve been missing and what\u2019s been so curiously held away from us.<\/span><\/p>\n In early 2006, Maine Entertainment, LLC, the firm that had been operating the theater under an agreement with owner Grant Wilson was officially evicted due to failure to pay rent. Since then, the State has remained closed.<\/span><\/p>\n Flying in the face of its current emptiness, Wentzel insists that The State is occupied<\/em>. \u201cOh yeah, it\u2019s totally haunted. No doubt. I\u2019ve encountered spirits around the old projection room. So many people that have mentioned getting \u201cgrabbed\u201d while walking upstairs, like the stairway up to the green room.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Uncannily, this is the same stairwell where, in the State\u2019s previous incarnation, photographer LeDuc had long since displayed a veritable night gallery of his portraits of performers past. <\/span><\/p>\n Future: The State Theatre, Vacant Performing Arts Building<\/strong><\/p>\n There is a fair amount of trying to reconcile past issues. \u201cI\u2019d point it at the ownership,\u201d says photographer LeDuc. \u201cAt least 90 percent. If you\u2019re the owner, you\u2019re obligated to fix things. That\u2019s the bottom line.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n But what about city inspectors who appear, at least from an audience perspective, one day to permit performances, only to imply it\u2019s not up to code the next?<\/span><\/p>\n No matter how sordid the past or grievous the present, there\u2019s nothing more frightening than what faces us now: a massive, vacuous, dark building occupying a central location in downtown Portland. Worse than that, it\u2019s beauty unseen.<\/span><\/p>\n While stories vary from sentimental to sour, fewer people are talking about the State Theatre. It\u2019s more of a rant now.<\/span><\/p>\n Some cry out that the most obvious reason for the indefinite vacancy is the lease agreement for operators, reported to be lopsided and inequitable. Soundman Wentzel confirms, \u201cFrom what I understand, they\u2019re asking for a 25-year duration and an unreasonable monthly rent. Who can do that these days?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Andy Verzosa, owner of Aucocisco Gallery, is a former tenant of the State Theatre block, where he ran his gallery for 10 years. \u201cIt\u2019s a business, and they\u2019ve got to get their money out of it. If you see the listing of available spaces (in the office building adjacent to the theater), you\u2019ll see two and a half pages of open studios and storefronts because, like the theater, the rents are too high. The high rents are killing that neighborhood, so I moved. If you really want to see that whole place succeed, condo everything. Give all of the business owners the chance to own their own piece of real estate on that block. Then, take the money from selling these spaces and fund the renovation of the theater. You\u2019ll have private individuals, not big absentee companies, owning property on Congress Street. You\u2019ll revitalize not only that building, but the whole neighborhood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The most accurate and current picture of the State is revealed by the property management office itself. \u201cThere are no plans. Nothing is happening right now.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Promoter Lauren Wayne, who presented countless concerts here for producer Live Nation, confidently states, \u201cIn order for the State to be successful you need to have<\/span> <\/span>three things:<\/span> <\/span>money, an astute business sense,<\/span> <\/span>and a working knowledge of concert promotion and marketing.<\/span> <\/span>If you only have one or two of those things, you\u2019re going to fail. You need all three.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Kevin LeDuc recognizes this but shows his skepticism. \u201cI hate to be a pessimist, but I don\u2019t know if it will ever open again. I don\u2019t think we have the people anymore. You need lots of different strengths, and I am standing on shaky ground if I said there were all the right people, business-wise and music-wise.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n He finishes with something on everyone\u2019s mind. \u201cTen years have gone by since its last real success. Shouldn\u2019t something have happened by now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n And, as members of the State\u2019s lost audience, shouldn\u2019t we all have cared more about what we\u2019ve been missing and insisted upon more direct involvement from our city officers and arts leaders? In this light, haven\u2019t we all killed the State Theatre ourselves or kidnapped the notion of what it could, or should, be? <\/span><\/p>\n The State Theatre and its adjoining commercial units are currently owned by Stone Coast Properties, controlled by members of the Wilson family and overseen by Ron Goglia. They are cumulatively valued at $4,127,000 <\/strong><\/p>\n Hilary Bassett, Executive Director of Greater Portland Landmarks<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI\u2019m not precisely sure why it isn\u2019t open. It was amazing when the whole volunteer group got the stage repaired–a great community effort. Lots of people are hoping to see it open again. You should call Jan Beitzer of Portland Downtown District to learn more about this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Deb Andrews, Historic Preservation Program Manager for the City of Portland<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI really don\u2019t know. I don\u2019t have a strong knowledge of the circumstances there to offer something particularly germane. I\u2019m not trying to be coy, but there are probably others who could help you. You might want to talk to Nelle Hanig or Jan Beitzer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Jan Beitzer, Executive Director of Portland Downtown District<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cBecause they can\u2019t make the building code. I\u2019m not being flip, but…the building has public safety issues, and they have to put a lot of money into it to bring it up to code. I don\u2019t know exactly what the codes are\u2026Have you called Nelle Hanig?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Nelle Hanig, Business Development Representative for the City of Portland<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s my understanding there are a lot of code issues needed to modernize it and make it safe for events.\u00a0 I really don\u2019t know the extent\u00a0 of what needs to be done at the building. You should call the city fire marshal.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Frederick LaMontagne, Fire Chief for the City of Portland <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t know if there are any outstanding issues with the fire codes, but it would depend on the use, and outstanding violations don\u2019t have a lot of relevance if the previous tenants are no longer there. We would love to work with anyone interested in starting up on the property and would very much like to see it occupied and a thriving part of the neighborhood up there. I suggest you talk to the economic development office.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Jill Duson, Acting Mayor, City of Portland <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since I\u2019ve touched those issues, but I think there are coding and repair issues. Our staff is uniquely qualified to work in partnership to match up the kind of resources that are out there to leverage dollars, if that\u2019s what\u2019s needed. We stand at the ready to meet\u00a0 with the management team and any developers who might be involved to discuss where are we and where can we go. In terms of dollars, the city\u2019s ability is limited in this economy, but our energy level and desire to lend assistance is high.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Barbara Whitten, President of Greater Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI don\u2019t really know, because [the CVB] hasn\u2019t been connected to the State Theatre in years. But I remember going to the opera there, and it was spectacular. And driving down the street, I\u2019d see a line out the door. It\u2019s a stunning facility, and if it had the support that Merrill Auditorium has, it would be great. But it\u2019s uncared for by people in the community, and it\u2019s too bad. Portland is becoming a destination for cultural events, and the State Theatre could be a jewel in that crown.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Rob Evon, Owner\/General Administrator of Port City Music Hall<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt\u2019s because of the renovations that are needed to reopen it as a music venue. And the owner doesn\u2019t want to pony up the money. The last estimate I think was over a million dollars. The investment and recovery period for the investment would be huge, and they don\u2019t have the interest in that. My inside track is that the Wilsons are focusing their investment money on places other than Maine. I don\u2019t know why, but I think operating the State Theatre would be financially difficult. It was popular, but 80-90 percent of all State shows were filled to limited capacity\u2013around 300-700 people [out of a possible 1,500]. Being beneficial for the music scene and operating a financially profitable business are two different things.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n David Marshall, Portland City Councillor, District 2 <\/strong><\/span>\u201cAs I understand it, Stone Coast Properties is doing some work inside the building to bring up some of the codes. They\u2019re eliminating the bathrooms in the basement that didn\u2019t have two means of egress and putting in new bathrooms. They\u2019re putting in some fire escapes and are looking to lease it to a theater company, where the tenant will be responsible for keeping up with the electrical codes. I don\u2019t know what Grant Wilson\u2019s involvement is. I think his parents are more involved at this point. Originally, Stone Coast was trying to find a tenant that would do all the upgrades, but they\u2019ve started to do some things to help prospective tenants out.\u201c<\/span><\/p>\n Joe Gray, Portland City Manager<\/strong><\/span> <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI have no idea why they stay closed. I know they\u2019ve been working with our inspection staff on fire-escape and bathroom improvements that they needed to make. I don\u2019t know whether or not there is a code problem or a market-condition problem. My understanding from the inspections is that the fire escapes and bathrooms have already been made, and there are some electrical improvements that they need to make, but nothing that\u2019s preventing them from opening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Kerry Ann McQuade, Receptionist for Stone Coast Properties <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI get calls about that all the time, but it\u2019s dormant. We don\u2019t have tenants; it needs to have a lot of money to renovate it. The building here is commercial space that we have\u2013that\u2019s just locked up and not being used.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Perry Glidden, Stone Coast Properties Building Engineer <\/strong><\/span>\u201cIt needs a lot of renovation\u2013bathrooms, alarm systems, life-safety systems. People don\u2019t look at the building and see anything but the theater, but they don\u2019t know it\u2019s 100,000 square feet of space that needs to be worked on. Someday the State Theatre will rise again. But it has to do with the economy and the City of Portland. They don\u2019t offer us a lot of incentive. It\u2019s expensive. We\u2019re not talking hundreds of dollars, we\u2019re talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. I can\u2019t give an exact amount; it all depends\u2013do you want the Pinto version or the Cadillac version? Either way, we\u2019re not interested in leasing anything that\u2019s not 100 percent up to code. Money\u2019s always an issue, but we\u2019ll get there. \u201c <\/span><\/p>\n Grant Wilson, Jr., Stone Coast Properties <\/strong><\/span>\u201cI haven\u2019t had much to do with the State since I signed my lease for the theater over to Chris Morgan in 2005. The fire department and licensing at the city level have been helpful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n“W<\/strong><\/span>hy I think the State Theatre isn\u2019t open\u2026”<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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