Title
Discussion of Loan Agreements for the BAL Theatre
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND
The Historic BAL Theatre, located at 14808 East 14th Street, is a unique and valuable cultural asset for the City of San Leandro. According to the theatre owner, The BAL "was built in 1945 as a modern Art Deco, 800 seat, community based, movie palace and performing arts theatre. San Leandro Curtain Call Performing Arts operates and maintains the Historic BAL Theatre and hosts, promotes, and produces a multitude of world class, culturally diverse, programming, entertainment, education, motion pictures and other experience based arts."
In the past year, updates on the BAL to the City Council include a presentation at the July 6, 2016 regular City Council meeting, a discussion at the October 19, 2016 Facilities and Transportation Committee meeting, a discussion at the Council's January 28, 2017 annual Planning Session, and further discussion at the May 2, 2017 Finance Committee meeting. At each of these presentations, the Council indicated a desire to provide financial assistance to the BAL in order to support ongoing renovation and modernization of the facility as well as continued operations that provide a public benefit. The Finance Committee referred this item to staff in May 2017 after providing feedback on drafting two loan agreements as a financial assistance package.
Based on that direction, staff has engaged in extensive discussions with representatives of the BAL and Curtain Call Performing Arts. Curtain Call is a nonprofit organization that holds the lease for the facility and serves as its operator. The BAL was represented in these discussions by Dan Dillman, a member of the Curtain Call Board of Directors whose family owns the building, and Chris Crow, another member of the Curtain Call Board of Directors. Staff requests feedback from the Finance Committee on two loan agreements presented below that have been approved by the City Attorney's Office and Finan...
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