AMHERST, N.Y. (WKBW) — MusicalFare Theatre announced it is pulling out of the Amherst Central Park project and will renew its search for a new permanent home for its theatre.
MusicalFare cited a lack of funding from the town for its share of the costs and an ongoing legal challenge to the park project from residents.
MusicalFare Artistic and Executive Director Randy Kramer tells 7 News Senior Reporter Eileen Buckley it is now “clear” it's time to walk away because there is no financing and the project is stalled due to a lawsuit.
“It feels like a lost opportunity to me when it comes to the community when it comes to Amherst,” Kramer commented.
But Amherst taxpayers are celebrating that MusicalFare is leaving the project.
“I was jumping around the house — Yes! Yes! Yes! I was so excited,” declared Shelly Schratz, Amherst resident.
"Wow. We were so enthusiastic and excited about this coming,” responded Andrea Morgante, Amherst resident.
“So, a pure victory for taxpayers?” Buckley asked.
“Absolutely, absolutely,” responded Schratz.
“And that is our goal. As residents of Amherst, we want what's best for our town. We want our town to be great again. Nothing against the arts and the culture -- it was the money that was being spent without our voices being heard,” answered Morgante.
In February, the town board approved a lease agreement with MusicalFare to bring a public theatre to Amherst Central Park.
In April, Amherst Concerned Citizens filed a petition and voiced their frustrations over the plans to bring the public theatre to the park. The group collected signatures to stop the $11 million bond for the project until a town-wide referendum was held. The group said they wanted to make sure residents had a say in what to do with taxpayer money.
Residents said the 30-year contract to redevelop the former Westwood Country Club wasn't fair or equitable for the town. You can watch our previous report below.
About a week later, a town spokesperson told 7 News there would be a special election to decide the future of the project.
But in May, the town board voted to rescind the bond resolution and announced there would not be a special election.
"And the reality of it is not a dollar of that tax increase was going to the MusicalFare project, but somehow that got connected and that became a rallying cry, and we became what is the very definition of collateral damage,” reflected Kramer.
“It’s never been about Randy Kramer. It's never been about MusicalFare,” noted Schratz.
Both Schratz and Morgante tell me this fight was not against the new theater, but about fighting for taxpayers.
“It all had to do with PUD zoning and how the people are left out of the process,” Schratz stated.
MusicalFare, currently housed on the Daemen University campus, must leave by next year. The theater’s lease expires with Daemen in May of 2025, so it's imperative that they find new space.
“It’s incumbent on us to make sure that the future MusicalFare is solid for the next 35 years,” described Kramer.
But Kramer could not say what new locations he's considering.
“There’s nothing we can talk about publicly, but I can tell you for a number of months now we have been having conversations and looking at various possibilities and that's continuing,” Kramer explained.
Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa released the following statement in response to MusicalFare's announcement:
“It is disappointing that MusicalFare will not be operating in Amherst Central Park as this is an award-winning production company, capable of bringing in hundreds of patrons for a performance. Cultural institutions are an asset to communities and MusicalFare has always been a great community partner. It would have been a benefit to keep them in town, however, unfortunately, at the end of the day, the timing did not work and I wish MusicalFare all the best."
