City and Citadel Theatre reach agreement on lease

Edmonton taxpayers will now take on another expensive burden after an agreement was made for an over $50 million renovation for the Citadel Theatre building downtown.

“Being left with a building without a core tenant like the Citadel, would not be a good outcome for anyone,” said Ashley Salvador, Councillor for Ward Métis.

Friday, Edmonton’s executive committee unanimously voted to approve a new lease with the theatre that would see the City of Edmonton take on the share of renewal repairs and maintenance costs.

It adds up to more than $1 million per year in maintenance costs, as well as over $56 million in renovations that will be spread out over the next 10 years.

The deal will see the Citadel contribute at least $100,000 a year towards the building’s costs and renovations.

The deal still has to go before council for a vote later this month, and comes right after council already voted to raise property taxes for Edmontonians.

Coun. Salvador says while taxpayers may wonder why the city is taking on another building, the deal makes sense for Edmonton.

“Part of the rationale, for me at least, was that this building would revert to the city regardless,” she said. “So we’re making sure we have the best deal in place.”

Part of the discussion Friday was around how Alberta’s Bill 18 — which requires the province’s cities and towns to seek provincial approval before receiving federal funding — would impact the city getting money for the theatre. Edmonton would have to seek provincial approval; the theatre itself would not.

Citadel Theatre officials told council they saw record attendance last year with over 10,000 people seeing shows.

Actors say the Citadel gives them a home and contributes to Edmonton’s arts scene.

“It was amazing for me because I got an opportunity to be a part of plays in my own city,” said Jesse Lipscombe. “Before that, I didn’t really feel like I had a home necessarily in the major playhouses that were in Edmonton and Calgary.”