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→The Grand Dame Lives
Since its 1981 reopening, the Saenger has become Pensacola's premier mid-size venue. It is the primary performance home of groups like the [[Pensacola Symphony Orchestra]], [[Pensacola Opera]], [[Pensacola Children's Chorus]] and [[Ballet Pensacola]]. Managed by Philadelphia-based [[SMG]], the Saenger also hosts touring musicians, Broadway-style shows and other entertainers. Renovations in [[1996]] doubled the number of restrooms, increased the lobby and concession area, and added a ramp and elevator for accessibility.
The Saenger will close in mid-2007 for a comprehensive "Expansion and Renovation Project" that will cost an estimated $9 millionenlarge the total area of the theater from 38, paid for by the city's [[local option sales tax]]000 to 62, grants and private donations000 square feet. Some of the renovations will include:*Stage extended to [[Jefferson Street]]to accomodate larger touring productions.*Two-story backstage facilities on south end ([[Intendencia Street]] parking lot).*New covered loading dock & freight elevator.*New , wider seats for the entire main floor. Growing from 18 inches to 23 inches, the total number of seats would be reduced from 1,805 to 1,600.*New lobby space added.*Additional restrooms and meeting rooms added.*Exapnded orchestra shell.*Enhanced acoustics, sound equipment and lighting.When the renovation project was initially presented in [[2005]], it was estimated to cost around $9 million: $6 million paid by the City of Pensacola's [[local option sales tax]], $2 million from [[Escambia County]], and the remainder from grants and private donations. In [[2007]], however, revised projections put the cost closer to $16 million. According to Saenger chairman [[Bill Greenhut]], owner of [[Greenhut Construction Company]] and leader of the fundraising efforts, "Construction costs have gone up around 40 to 50 percent, and I can attest to that."<ref name="pnj032507">[http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070325/NEWS01/703250332/1006 The show will go on] - [[Pensacola News Journal]], March 25, 2007</ref> Due to the crisis local governments are facing with property taxes and insurance, combined with the [[2007 City of Pensacola budget adjustment|City of Pensacola's budget adjustment]], fundraisers are reluctant to ask for more public funding. However, Greenhut says, "If there's better news from the Legislature, we would like to go back to the City Council in April or May and ask for an additional sum of money."<ref name="pnj032507"></ref>
The theater will reopen in fall 2008. Many performing arts groups that use the Saenger as their primary venue have found alternative sites for the 2007-08 season. For example, the [[Pensacola Symphony Orchestra]] will hold its "Masterworks" concerts at [[First Baptist Church]].
