Staff members of State Treasurer Richard Moore acknowledged Tuesday that Moore knew about Randy Parton’s annual $1.5 million “artist fee” but disputed as irrelevant a key contention of a feasibility study regarding the arrangement to build with public funds a theater in Roanoke Rapids named after the entertainer.

For more than two months Moore and his staff have avoided answering questions about the project.

Moore is chairman of the Local Government Commission, which gave final approval on Feb. 6 for Roanoke Rapids to borrow $21.5 million to finance the Randy Parton Theatre. The commission, whose staff is housed in the treasurer’s office, must approve all city and county plans to borrow money. It determines whether a local government can afford to pay the money back.

Deputy Treasurer Vance Holloman and Debt Management Director Tim Romocki, Moore staff members involved in the Parton Theatre approval process, acknowledged, when asked by Carolina Journal, that Moore specifically knew about Parton’s annual fee before approving the project.

CJ also asked them whether Moore was aware of a feasibility study that required 200,000 square feet of retail space and two hotels to first be in place for the theater to succeed. Holloman and Romocki would not answer the question and suggested the requirement was irrelevant. The theater is scheduled to open July 26, but only one hotel is under construction, and none of the retail space has been started.

The 35,000-square-foot theater was completed and turned over to Parton in March. It is to be the cornerstone of the Carolina Crossroads Entertainment District, located along Interstate 95. According to his agreement with the city, Parton has almost total control of theater operations and is responsible for making monthly payments to cover the city’s loan on the project.

A lot was riding on Moore’s approval of the project. If the public financing had not been approved, the private developer, B&C Roanoke LLC, would have had to obtain private funds for the long-term financing of the facility. Roanoke Rapids officials are planning for ticket sales and other theater revenues to raise enough funds to pay the debt service and Parton’s $1.5 million annual fee. If those funds are not enough, local sales or property taxes will have to be used.

The theater’s first show featuring Parton and his newly formed band, The Moonlight Bandits, is scheduled for July 26. A schedule posted on rptheatre.com indicates his shows will run Wednesdays through Saturdays for the remainder of the year, but no other acts are listed.

Feasibility study

Roanoke Rapids hired Economics Research Associates, an international consulting firm, to study the feasibility of the Randy Parton Theatre.

According to information on the company’s Web site, “ERA is the leading consulting firm serving the entertainment and leisure development industry, and has “pioneered the analytical techniques and methodologies related to the planning, development and operational evaluation of many of the world’s leading attractions.” An employee in ERA’s Washington, D.C., office said the manager for the Roanoke Rapids project was Bill Owens. When CJ reached Owens by phone, he refused to discuss the study and said he was told by city officials not to answer any questions about the study.

Both the initial report, dated April 15, 2005, and the final report, dated Dec 13, 2005, said ERA considers the proposed Randy Parton Theatre a “market-viable attraction concept, given that the following underlying assumptions are met”:

• Key elements of the larger proposed development, including two hotels, at least 200,000 square feet of retail space, and additional entertainment/amusement opportunities are operational by the time the theatre opens.
• The theatre is competently and proactively managed to maximize earnings and deliver a product that is in tune with the marketplace.
• The show(s) associated with theatre are of high quality, are regularly “refreshed” with new content, and are appropriately targeted to draw from resident and visitor segments.
• Pre- and post-opening marketing efforts are sufficiently funded, and are successfully targeted to generate a healthy mix of visitor market attendance.
• The theater achieves an average, per-attendee ticket price of about $23, which reflects an adult ticket price of about $30 combined with effective discounting and ticket packaging policies designed to encourage repeat and family visitation.
• The theater is able to draw on a range of non-ticket revenues typical to similar venues, for example concessions and gift shop revenues.
• The $3 million reserve funded by the City of Roanoke Rapids is an available resource for covering expected start up costs and operating deficits.
• No major act of terrorism or war, or other major economic shocks, have significant negative impact on the domestic tourism economy during the forecast horizon.

The fund-raiser

Moore, a Democrat, said May 22 that he will be a candidate for governor in the 2008 election.

Roanoke Rapids area supporters sponsored a fundraiser for him June 11 at the home of Halifax County Commissioner Gene Minton. Minton is also a board member of the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The bureau is a government agency, and board members are chosen by the county commissioners.

Tickets to the fundraiser were $100 per person, with Patrons, Sponsors and Hosts paying $500, $1,000 and $2,000 respectively. Listed at the top of the invitation, apparently designated as hosts, were people with close ties to the theater. Included were Roanoke Rapids Mayor Drewry Beale, Carolina Crossroads developer Michael Dunlow, theater employees Cathy and Mike Scott, and State Rep. Michael Wray, who helped secure state funds to promote the project.

Documents obtained by CJ show that the bureau’s executive director, Lori R. Medlin, used her government e-mail account the day of the fundraiser to solicit attendees. “Subject: Fundraiser for Richard Moore,” the e-mail said. “Please review the attached invitation. It is not too late to decide to attend. You may arrive at the event this evening and check in with Gene.” Medlin sent the e-mail to an undisclosed list of recipients. A copy of the invitation was provided as an e-mail attachment.

Medlin did not return phone messages seeking comment about her work for the Moore campaign. Two years ago the General Assembly appropriated $500,000 to promote the Parton Theatre and surrounding Carolina Crossroads Entertainment District. Medlin’s bureau is managing those funds.

Don Carrington is executive editor of Carolina Journal.