Jazz St. Louis Announces $10 Million Capital Campaign For New Jazz Center

SOURCE: ALL ABOUT JAZZ PUBLICITY, 
Published: 2014-08-2
St. Louis, MO: From Scott Joplin’s playing of Ragtime in 1895 to Miles Davis playing Be-Bop in 1944 and to the dozens of other jazz greats who hail from the Gateway City, St. Louis has played an important and pivotal role in the history of jazz. Today, Jazz St. Louis—one of the best known and longest running not-for-profit jazz organizations in the country—announced its $10 million capital campaign supporting a new state-of-the-art live performance and jazz education center, jazz lounge and staff headquarters. Located at 3540 Washington Avenue in Grand Center, the expanded and improved facility is projected to nearly double attendance by 2017.

“After analyzing jazz centers across the country and years of planning, we are primed to deliver a world class experience for fans of all ages to experience and study jazz,” said Gene Dobbs Bradford, Executive Director of Jazz St. Louis. “We’re confident this redesign will place St. Louis among the top five jazz hubs in the world.”

The project became a reality as a result of leadership gifts by David & Thelma Steward, John & Alison Ferring, Centene Corporation, Ken & Nancy Kranzberg, Emerson, the Jazz St. Louis Board of Directors, and other jazz patrons in excess of $5.8 million. The remaining $4 million will be raised during the public phase of the capital campaign. The funds will be used to build a top-tier jazz facility after the purchase of two buildings in Grand Center: Jazz at the Bistro – which until now was leased by Jazz St. Louis – and the former Greenberg Van Doren Gallery Building. Jazz St. Louis has allocated $6 million for improvements, including: 

State-of-the-art jazz club with seating for 220 (currently 150);

Jazz Lounge with seating for up to 75 and featuring a jazz video wall;

Jazz education and practice space featuring six soundproof, individual and small group practice rooms and two large rehearsal studios;


Recording and live streaming to share performances with an audience of jazz enthusiasts across the globe.
read more: http://news.allaboutjazz.com/jazz-st-louis-announces-10-million-capital-campaign-for-new-jazz-center.php#.U_cWkEudp3g