Maple Grove Nonprofit Hopes To Build Performing Arts Center
A nonprofit is leading the charge to build a new performing arts center in the heart of Maple Grove.
Maple Grove-based Avalanche Arts is hoping to build an arts center with about 250-300 seats.
The organization brought the concept before the Maple Grove City Council during a work session this week.
It would be located on city-owned land near Weaver Lake Road and Main Street. It’s near Life Time Fitness and was previously home to the Ice Castles attraction.
“We started looking around and noticing that Lakeville and Eden Prairie and White Bear Lake, and other places had these performing arts centers that were really thriving, and they were even in smaller areas,” said Danielle Vinup with Avalanche Arts. “So we started to dig into that a little bit and found that there were theater companies within Maple Grove that were also looking for a home.”
A rendering of the performing arts center being proposed by Avalanche Arts in Maple Grove.
Cross Community Players and Bunce Performing Arts are both based in Maple Grove and are working with Avalanche on the project.
The nonprofit wants the building to serve as an anchor for a larger arts campus.
“You have Town Green where there’s lots of concerts and events,” Vinup said. “Then there’s the library, the Community Center. And then just across the street there would be this performing arts center.”
Maple Grove Community Development Director Joe Hogeboom told CCX News that the council is generally supportive of the proposal.
The city is drafting a memorandum of understanding that lead to a long-term lease for the property.
Hogeboom expects that memo to come before the city council within the next two months.
