$20 million deal gives iconic Detroit venue new name: Orsa Music Hall

The new name results from a partnership with Orsa Credit Union, the Plymouth cooperative that rebranded this week after 75 years as Community Financial.
A new logo includes an origami-style bear — a nod to the Italian word “orsa,” which translates as she-bear.

A venerable Detroit theater is getting a modern new name.

In a $20 million, 25-year deal, Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts will now be known as Orsa Music Hall, officials announced Wednesday (Jan. 28).

The 98-year-old landmark on Madison Avenue takes its fresh moniker in a partnership with Orsa Credit Union, the Plymouth-based cooperative that rebranded this week after 75 years as Community Financial.

“They were looking around to partner up with an existing institution, and they found us,” said theater president Vince Paul. “We got together and realized we were on the same page with our missions — education, cultural presentations, community connections. That’s exactly what they were looking for.”

Details, including renderings portraying the forthcoming Orsa Music Hall signage, were revealed Wednesday during a media event at the venue. The logo includes an origami-style bear — a nod to the Italian word “orsa,” which translates as she-bear.

“We’re so enthusiastic about the impact arts make on a community,” said Tansley Stearns, president and CEO of Orsa Credit Union. “We also love the long-term commitment. We’ve had 75 years as a financial institution, and we’re looking at the next 75. Strong cities grow with culture, and we wanted to be part of investing in that.”

This isn’t the first name change for the 1,700-capacity facility: The William Kapp-designed building opened in 1928 as the Wilson Theater before taking on the Music Hall name with the arrival of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 1946.

Today the venue presents a regular slate of music, theater and dance, along with youth programs that include a music partnership with Detroit Public Schools.

The new branding comes as Music Hall continues toward a significant expansion, including a seven-story, 108,000-square-foot complex featuring a concert venue, music academy, recital hall and Detroit music-themed restaurant.

The project, designed by Detroit-born architect Tod Williams and announced in 2023, now has a $165 million price tag, up from the $120 million originally set.

That stems from a financing plan substantially revamped since the City of Detroit’s initial bonds approval in 2024, Paul said. The reworked proposal will go before the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation on Feb. 10 and — if greenlighted — back to Detroit City Council for final approval.

The proposal seeks $165 million in not-for-profit bonds underwritten by Orsa Music Hall, meaning the city would not be on the hook for funding.

Pending approvals, Music Hall officials are targeting spring for a groundbreaking and the launch of a capital campaign seeking philanthropic investment.

Orsa Credit Union has 84,000 members and 14 Michigan branches, including 10 in metro Detroit. Last year, it opened a branch on Grand River Avenue branch in the Old Redford district — the first in what Orsa says will be several new locations within Detroit proper.

The credit union’s rebranding and Music Hall deal are part of a wider mission, Stearns said.

“One of the things I’ve thought about credit union is we’ve not always told our story as vibrantly as we could,” she said. “Partnerships amplify that and expand the reach of the organization.”

Both institutions describe the Orsa Music Hall deal as symbiotic. Venue programming will be spotlighted at credit union branches, for example, while a Music Hall-emblazoned debit card will be available for members.

Discussions between Music Hall and Community Financial began in late 2024, with Wednesday’s announcement timed to coincide with the credit union’s own rebranding rollout.

Paul joked that he was “relieved and delighted” when he learned credit union officials had selected the catchy term “Orsa” rather than a more complicated company name.

“We’ve got the Lions and Tigers right across the street. Now we’ve got the bear here,” he said.

Those involved say the 25-year contract is more than a simple naming-rights deal — rather, it’s a $20 million investment in the theater’s role as a Detroit cultural anchor.

“This is not transactional,” said Stearns. “It’s intentionally designed to multiply impact across communities. If it were just about branding, there are many other ways to do that.”

“They’re supporting our programming and our education efforts,” Paul said. “And we’re acknowledging that by naming the whole place after them.”