Construction is beginning on a $9.5 million renovation project at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, an arts and culture destination located in Saratoga Spa State Park.
The project will improve visitor services and add four-season event space. It is supported by $8 million in private funding from Live Nation and Saratoga Performing Arts Center, while the state is providing up to $1.5 million in grants from Empire State Development and State Parks.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) will undergo a complete replacement and upgrade of the existing concessions and restroom facilities. Two new concessions buildings will replace the existing tent structures, which have lacked proper security, infrastructure and storage space. In the center of the main plaza a new open-air covered pavilion will further establish a more park-like aesthetic, while restoring the original sight lines from the Route 50 bridge to the Victoria Pool.
The main concession building will include a second-story, offering year-round event space to support and encourage expanded educational programming, audience development and community engagement activities. The exterior facade of the upper level will include a glass and aluminum storefront design, allowing guests to walk out onto a rooftop terrace facing the amphitheater. The enclosed portion of the building will provide climate-controlled space for events, and the lobby atrium leading to the second floor will feature the rich history of SPAC as well as space for local artwork.
The second building will further improve the guest experience by adding new restroom and concessions facilities and creating a more open and useable space which will help further improve guest movement throughout SPAC. The existing infrastructure systems and utilities will be improved to support the new buildings and surrounding public space. Upgraded pedestrian walkways will improve access between the amphitheater lawn and the main plaza and provide easier paths for travel throughout the venue.
