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- A view from the back of Cullen Performance Hall. The 1600-seat venue recently underwent a $2.5 million renovation. (Photo Credit: Richard Zagrzecki)
- A view from the front of Cullen Performance Hall. The 1600-seat venue recently underwent a $2.5 million renovation. (Photo Credit: Richard Zagrzecki)
- Part of the hall's renovation included painting and sanding the stage. (Photo Credit: Richard Zagrzecki)
- Part of the hall's renovation included painting and sanding the stage. (Photo Credit: Richard Zagrzecki)
Having theater seats cleaned may not usually be a big deal, unless it's the first time in nearly three decades.
"It's very exciting, they look beautiful," says Carrie Miller, Director of the University of Houston's Cullen Performance Hall. "They're like another shade of red."
The space had previously been managed by an outside company, but UH recently took over running it. The seat cleaning is one of a long list of improvements completed during the $2.5 million renovation, which also included replacing some of the backstage wiring, installing a fire sprinkler system, and installing new stage curtains. The old ones had dry rot and were starting to disintegrate.
Miller doesn't know how many events they hosted this past year, but the goal is to book around 65 in 2017. Ranging between $1,500 and $2,500 a night, it could turn into a fairly steady stream of cash.
"Any day empty is a space that we aren't making any sort of funds," Miller says. "So, I just wanted to start thinking about opportunities for other revenue options."
Those options could include anything from banquets to weddings.