By Bennie Scarton Jr.

Published: May 10, 2008

In 1990, Prince William County did a visioning exercise to imagine what the county would be like decades ahead. One element of the plan was a first-class performing arts center to serve local groups and bring international artists to the community.

In 1999, the Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center opened on the Prince William Campus of George Mason Univer-sity—a partnership involving the county, the City of Manassas and the university.

Kathleen Seefeldt, then chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors, and Randall Edwards, head of the campus, agreed that the next challenge for the three partners should be a performing arts center. It was some-thing that the county, city or university could not do alone, but, together, could accomplish to benefit all three con-stituencies.

Following nine long years in the works, construction has finally started on the $44 million Hylton Performing Arts Center on the Manassas campus. The site has been cleared and foundation work is underway.

The 86,000-square-foot state-of-the-art complex is scheduled to open in spring 2010.

Based on the success of the Aquatic and Fitness Center and the lack of a first-class performance venue in the region, the three jurisdictions agreed in October 2004 to pay for the design, construction and equipping of the center up to a cost of $36 million.

Based on the project utilization, the cost is allocated as the county 60 percent, the university 30 percent and the city 10 percent. Using its bonding authority, George Mason sold bonds to cover the cost of design and construction with the three to share in serving those bonds.

Construction inflation has raised the cost of the building to $44 million. The $8 million increase was met through a $4 million state grant and private sector support. George Mason has donated the land (valued at $3 million), fund-raising management and construction management. Whiting-Turner of Chantilly is the general contractor for the project.

Also in 2004, the Partnership and Development Committee was established by the college's Advisory Board. The committee functions as the campaign committee for the center. The committee's major objectives are to inform the general public about the plans and purposes of the center and to organize and implement the fundraising program for the center's permanent endowment and operating fund.

To date, $9.8 million has been raised toward the campaign goal of $15 million. The goal is to meet the goal by the time the building opens in 2010.

Gifts have ranged from $5 million to $100 with a broad cross-section of the community participating in the cam-paign. The "Take a Seat Campaign" allows donors to be recognized with a plaque on a seat in Mer-chant Hall for a gift of $2,500 payable over five years.

Former Manassas Mayor Marvin Gillum, who serves as Hylton Center Campaign co-chairman, said he and members of the campaign committee are pleased with the start of the construction and the support received from the commu-nity for the unique project.

"This project has been a dream of so many for many years and to see it become a reality is truly encouraging for the future of our city, county and region," said Gillum.

In recognition of a $5 million grant to the campaign by the Cecil D. and Irene V. Hylton Foundation of Dale City, the center will be named the Hylton Performing Arts Center.

"The arts are very important to the quality of life throughout the Prince William community and we are very proud to take part in this special project," said Conrad Hylton, president of the foundation. One-half of the grant is a challenge grant whereby all new commitments to the campaign will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $2.5 million, by the Hylton Foundation. Thus far, $865,000 has been raised toward the grant. The second $2.5 mil-lion is an outright grant.

Another distinguished name in Manassas will grace the Hylton Center's 1,166-seat main performance hall. With a $1 million commitment from Carol Merchant Kirby, the large performance space will be named Merchant Hall. Kirby is a native of Manassas, a member of the campus advisory board and a long-time patron of the arts.

"I was born and raised in Manassas and raised my own family there. It is a wonderful community and the Hylton Performing Arts Center will be a magnificent addition for all who live or visit the city and the region. I am honored to help make it a reality," Kirby said.

The second venue in the center will be the Gregory Family Theatre. This 300-seat flexible performance space is a $750,000 gift from John O. Gregory in memory of his wife, Angela G. Gregory, and son J. Scott Gregory.

John Gregory, a lifelong resident of Manassas, is chairman of Gregory Construction Inc. and, for over half a century, has played an important role in shaping the landscape of Manassas and the county

Noting his family's commitment to the community, Gregory said "it has been a pleasure and privilege for me and my family to live and work in this wonderful community for many years. It is an honor to play a role in this project that will bring so much enjoyment and economic benefits to all our residents."

In addition to these three gifts, the center will partner with the Didlake Foundation. As part of this relationship—made possible through the estates of Mr. and Mrs. Roger J. Costello—the center's 10,000-square-feet grand foyer will be named the Didlake Grand Foyer.

"Didlake is pleased to be a major partner in the effort to enrich the lives of all members of our community through arts and culture," said Rex Parr, Didlake Foundation president. The foundation supports programs that help meet the long-term needs of people with disabilities in the county and Manassas. The center will provide employment and volunteer opportunities for Didlake clients and Didlake will hold events at the center as well as display works from its Expressive Arts

Department.

Local businesses have provided significant support for the center endowment campaign. Lead gifts from Lockheed Martin Corporation, Buchanan Partners, American Type Culture Collection, Temporary Solutions, Inc., Micron Technology Virginia, Vulcan Materials, Vanderpool, Frostick & Nashanian, Northern Virginia Electric

Cooperative, V2 Systems, Thompson and Associates, BB&T, Scott & Stringfellow and Sammis and Associates illustrate the commitment of local businesses to this important element in the overall economic development of the region.

V2 Systems chairman Guy Hinkler said, "The Hylton Center will add over $6.5 million annually to the local economy, and this will only grow over the years. This is clearly a win-win for everyone involved."

The county, Manassas and George Mason share a pioneering spirit that make them natural and dynamic partners. The success of the Fitness Center, which opened on the campus nearly a decade ago, gave the partners an indication of what an innovative team can accomplish together.

Seefeldt, co-chairman of the campaign, recalls the evolution of the idea for a performing arts center in the county.

"In 1990, we did a visioning exercise to imagine what we would like Prince William to look like in the dec-ades ahead. An important component was a first-class performing arts center to serve our local groups and bring international artists to our region. We knew we couldn't do it alone, but together with the private sector we could make it happen," she said.

The project design, by Holzman Moss Architecture of New York and Hughes Group Architects of Sterling, features an environment that excites the imagination and reflects the values and traditions of the region through the use of natural materials and open space. The primary spaces within the center include:

• Merchant Hall: The 1,166-seat main performance hall will be unique in the metropolitan region. Inspired by 19th-century European opera houses, the space will soar upward rather than back as in a traditional auditorium, providing an intimate experience for performer and audience member alike. Twenty-seven family boxes encircle a stage that is nine stories tall and can house anything from a Broadway play to a full ballet or symphony orchestra. Variable acoustics will provide an environment excellent for both amplified and natural sound.

• Gregory Family Theatre: The 300-seat theater will allow directors, designers, conductors and choreographers the opportunity to let their imaginations take flight. The room can be configured in a variety of ways for dance, chamber music, theater or spoken presentations. All seating can be stored so that the open space is available for receptions and rehearsal

activities.

• Buchanan Partners Gallery: This visual arts gallery on the second level, adjacent to the Patrons Lounge, will house rotating exhibits showing the best work of local artists in a variety of media.

Other spaces include scene, paint and costume shops, dressing rooms, catering kitchen, administrative offices and work space for visiting companies complete the picture of a 21st-century facility built to serve the region for dec-ades to come.

Jean Kellogg, executive director of the center and a Prince William resident, is excited about the opportunity the center presents for the entire

community.

"This building will have a transformation effect on our region. World class performances and space for our local groups to grow professionally and organizationally is coming to Prince William and Manassas," Kellogg said. "This is all happening due to the far-sighted vision of local leaders, the support of our advocates in Richmond, and the enthusiasm and generosity of the local community."

According to Brian H. Marcus,

associate dean for development, college of visual and performing arts, Fairfax, the center's income will come from three major sources: earned income (ticket sales and facility rental), annual contributed support and income earned off the permanent

endowment.

"All three will play an important role in the center's financial stability. No performing arts center can earn enough through ticket sales and rentals to meet annual expenses. To do so would mean tickets prices and rental fees so high that the community could not afford to use it," Marcus said.

"Typically, a performing arts center will receive abut 50 to 60 percent of its operating budget from the ticket sales and facilities rental with the remainder coming from contributed support and income off endow-ment."

From Beethoven to bluegrass and from ballet to the blues, the center's program will reflect the wide range of performing arts activity in the region as well as the diverse interests of the community. The center hopes to become the artistic home for many local performing arts groups, as well as an additional venue for school-related activities. GMU will offer student and faculty work in music, dance and

theater.

Business, civic, arts and service groups will be encouraged to hold their events at the center. The center will also be able to host corporate meetings, business "expos" and individual special occasions.

"The mandate of the center is excellence, diversity and accessibility. Local groups will set their own ticket prices. For other presentations the objective is to bring the highest possible quality consistent with making it acces-sible to the widest possible audience," Marcus concluded.

Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.