The City of Jackson’s decision to close Thalia Mara Hall came days after the Jackson City Council discussed concerns over suspected mold at the event venue.
On July 30, Ward 6 City Councilman Aaron Banks fielded a series of questions at City of Jackson Deputy Director of Human and Cultural Services Mike Williams over the condition of the building.
“Is there mold in Thalia Mara Hall?” Banks asked.
Williams responded, saying, “There is growth in Thalia Mara Hall; (that) is what I was told by the remedial specialist this morning. There is not mold. They cannot certify it as mold.”
When Banks asked Willaims how long issues at the theater had existed, the deputy director said some of the problems “go back 12, 15, maybe 20 years.”
‘There’s a Lot of Work to Do’
Thalia Mara Hall was built in 1968 and renamed in 1994 after Chicago native and ballet dancer Thalia Mara. She toured the world as a dancer and founded the National Academy of Ballet in New York City in 1963 before moving to Jackson at 65 years old and founding the USA International Ballet Competition in 1978.
The theater is home to Ballet Mississippi, Broadway In Jackson and the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Every four years, hundreds of dancers from across the globe gather at the venue in Jackson for the USA International Ballet Competition.
The site also hosts stand up comedy shows and concerts.
Long-time concert promoter Arden Barnett, owner of Ardenland, told the Mississippi Free Press on Aug. 6 that he does not anticipate the theater being ready soon; this would be the second time they will have to reschedule a Kevin Hart comedy show because of issues at the theater.
He is not only frustrated but disappointed.
“This has been a problem for months now. There have been problems with the building, the HVAC system, the elevators, etcetera, for quite some time now. There’s a lot of work to do. I don’t see a quick opening,” Barnett said. “It’s sad that our theater is in the state that it’s in.”
In February, the City started renovating the hall to ensure it was compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act—including infrastructure upgrades like repairing elevators and escalators. At the time, Barnett told WAPT that the one issue was finding replacement parts to repair the elevator, one of which is still the original elevator that was in the building when it was built in 1968.
City of Jackson Communications Director Melissa Faith-Payne said in the City’s Aug. 1 press release announcing the closure that “the decision to perform this work was made promptly upon discovery of the issue.”
“The scheduled downtime will allow experts to safely and thoroughly remediate the affected areas, ensuring the health and safety of all patrons and staff,” Faith-Payne continued. “This effort is a demonstration of our commitment to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment at Thalia Mara Hall.”
‘I’m Not Mad. I’m Disappointed.’
While Arden Barnett works to secure venues for upcoming events, Ballet Mississippi’s David Keary hopes this closure paves the way for the arts community to have better dialogue with city leaders.
He said he would like to see the development of an arts advisory board that could communicate with city leadership throughout the year.
“I think this gives us a wonderful opportunity to really think through this and get it taken care of,” Keary said. “I’m not mad. I’m disappointed. I love our city. I grew up here and want to see it thrive.”
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