Paychex founder Tom Golisano has committed $25 million to development of a new Rochester performin
arts center that will bear his name.
Rochester Broadway Theater League Chair Arnie Rothschild says Golisano gave him the commitment, and it’s good no matter where in the community the new center is built.
Rothschild says he’d prefer to see it downtown, and on the now vacant Midtown Parcel 5. But they’re also looking at sites in Brighton and Henrietta.
The RBTL will have to raise another $15 million and work closely with local and state governments to get the rest of the $85 million the project is expected to cost. Rothschild says Tom Golisano’s money gives the project the credibility needed to launch a major fundraising campaign.
The new theater complex would replace the Auditorium Center on East Main, which the RBTL has said for years is too small for many modern productions and lacks parking and other facilities. Wherever it goes, Rothschild says the new center will be a huge benefit for Rochester.