July 2003(est.) – Lexington County Arts Association Board Member Phil Hamby surveys Board as to the interest of a performing and visual arts center being built in Lexington. Board appoints Mr. Hamby to serve as Chairman of a Strategic Planning Committee with the specific goal of exploring the possibility of building an Arts Center in Lexington.
August 2003 – Mr. Hamby drafts strategic planning document for a proposed Arts Center and presents this plan to Mayor Pro-tem Linda Bryant to gauge Town interest. (Document includes goals, plan of action, needs, key folks to get involved, physical planning, identifies users/performers, marketing plan, funding sources, etc.)
November 17, 2003 – Following several informal meetings of community members to gauge interest in the project, Mayor Dan Breazeale (at the monthly Town Council Work Session) expresses his desire to appoint an adhoc committee to pursue a feasibility study of an Arts Center in Lexington.
February 10, 2004 – The Town-appointed Lexington Performing & Visual Arts Center Feasibility Committee meets for the first time.
February 17, 2004 – Town of Lexington Mayor Pro-tem, Linda Bryant (at the monthly Town Council Work Session) requests that discussion of a feasibility study and needs assessment for a performing arts facility be an agenda item at the upcoming Town Council meeting.
March 1, 2004 – Lexington Town Council votes to allow and fund a Lexington Performing & Visual Arts Center Feasibility Study.
May 25, 2004 – Following a consultant bid and selection process, the committee meets with Duncan Webb and Sara Jaycox of Webb Management Services, Inc. (New York, NY) and conducts a consultation session and learns that the proposed feasibility study will occur in three phases.
May 26 & 27, 2004 – Duncan Webb and Sara Jaycox of Webb Management Services, Inc. conduct interviews with arts representatives, local residents, business representatives, etc. to compile info on expectations, needs, wants, etc.
August 4, 2004 – Committee meets with consultant Duncan Webb via telephone conference to discuss recommendations regarding the Arts Center.
September 7, 2004 – Consultant Duncan Webb of Webb Management Services, Inc. presents results of Phase I of the study (Needs Assessment) to Lexington Town Council, verifying that there is a need for a facility.
October 4, 2004 – A committee recommendation is given to Lexington Town Council to proceed with Phase II of the study (Physical Planning) using Webb Management Services, Inc. This phase will investigate the needs for space and conceptual design for the facility, will analyze potential sites for the new facilities based on local need, and will develop a capital budget for the construction of the recommended facilities.
November 1, 2004 – Lexington Town Council approves plans to conduct Phase II of the study.
December 13, 2004 – Committee meets with Ron Geyer (Craig, Gaulden & Davis Architects) and Robert Long (Theatre Consultants Collaborative) to help the consultants further define what Lexington is looking for in a facility so that they can begin the physical study of the assessment.
January 27, 2005 – Physical Planning Advisory Group (comprised of constituents in the local arts/architecture community) meets with Ron Geyer (Craig, Gaulden & Davis Architects) and Robert Long (Theatre Consultants Collaborative) to discuss local views on facility needs.
February 10, 2005 – Committee meets with Ron Geyer (Craig, Gaulden & Davis Architects) to establish site selection criteria along with the weights/values that the committee feels should be assigned to the selected criteria. In addition, the committee brainstorms possible site locations.
March 24, 2005 – Committee meets with Ron Geyer (Craig, Gaulden & Davis Architects) to rank/select top choices for site location.
May 19, 2005 – A special meeting of the committee is called to learn about a proposed joint public/private partnership venture for the Arts Center to be located on the site of the Sessions Building on Main Street. The proposal includes razing the Sessions building and building a multi-level office complex on the site jointly with the Arts Center.
June 30, 2005 – Committee meets again with private developer, who has proposed the joint public/private development on the Sessions site, along with his architect to discuss further details of plans and proposals.
June 30, 2005 – Duncan Webb joins the committee to present the results of Phase II of the study and to recommend that the committee move ahead with business planning, the third and final phase of preliminary project planning.
July 5, 2005 – Lexington Town Council approves plans to conduct Phase III of the study to include: feasibility of evaluation of a parking garage and a public / private partnership for the project.
August 2, 2005 – Committee meets with Ron Geyer (Craig, Gaulden & Davis Architects) regarding physical planning and site location of the Sessions location. The same night, Duncan Webb with Webb Management Consultants, as part of the third phase, holds a scheduling charrette with leaders of regional arts groups. This successful input session provides important information as to the arts groups’ potential use of the facilities and reasonable fees for use of the facilities. There is strong support and response from those in attendance and indications are that the facility will be booked by many regional arts groups.
Summer – Fall 2005 – Determination is made that the Sessions site will not be large enough to accommodate both a private development along with the Arts Center.
October 3, 2005 – Town Council receives final major report from Webb Management Services, Inc. by Duncan Webb. Report covers Phases I, II & III. Mayor Randy Halfacre encourages Council to discuss next steps for the Lexington Arts Center at the Town’s upcoming Strategic Leadership sessions.
October 25, 2005 – Committee meets to touch base on Duncan Webb’s final presentation and discusses next steps for committee.
January 18, 2006 – Chairman Phil Hamby meets with Councilwoman Flemming & Town Attorney Brad Cunningham to discuss newly named “Lexington Arts Center Committee” progressing to the status of an official standing committee of the Town by ordinance.
February 7, 2006 – First meeting of Lexington Arts Center Committee as an official standing committee is held. Agenda items are organizational in nature.
February 27, 2006 – Committee meets and establishes subcommittees for Communications, Funding Development and Organizational Development (to establish 501(c)3 /non-profit status).
March 27, 2006 – Committee meets and the Communications Subcommittee presents initial concept for website to help educate public on the project. Funding Development Subcommittee reports on progress toward writing a request for proposal (rfp) to conduct a Fundraising Feasibility Study (typical next step for this type of project). Organizational Development Subcommittee reports that they have acquired application materials for establishing non-profit status – this is a 6 month process.
April 24, 2006 – Committee meets and discusses offering a survey to the community to get their input on project. Decision is made to obtain website first so as to have educational component in place first and to allow the website to be where the survey is done.
May 22, 2006 – Committee meets and the interim marketing logo for the Lexington Arts Center is unveiled.
Late Spring/Early Summer 2006 – Town announces new staff position which will, as a part of their responsibilities, be tasked with securing funding for the Lexington Arts Center project.
July 17, 2006 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Lexington Town Council and Town of Lexington Administration.
August 22, 2006 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Lexington County Council and Lexington County Administration
August 28, 2006 – Committee meets. Councilwoman Flemming notifies LEXAC Committee that the Town will provide staff time/support for the creation of a website for the project.
September 21, 2006 – Website built by Town staff, www.lexingtonartscenter.com, is launched out to public along with online community survey.
September 23, 2006 – Committee hosts first public booth to begin educating public on the project during the FunFest.
September 25, 2006 – Committee meets. Mayor Randy Halfacre attends and offers committee two significant marketing opportunities for the project. The Town will have a letter from him sent out in the next available utility bill mailing to Town of Lexington residents and businesses. The letter will speak of the project and encourage Lexingtonians to access the website to educate themselves about the project and take the community survey. Additionally, Mayor Halfacre offered a Town-produced videotaping of an infomercial about the project so that it could be aired on the local access Cable 2 Channel on numerous occasions. In this regard, the community can easily learn about the merits of the project.
October 23, 2006 – Committee meets. Special guest speaker, Deborah Smith (Executive Director) of the Newberry Opera House, attends, discusses and mentors the committee on the success story of her facility. Committee learns best practices for success on the project for Lexington. Additionally, Laura McMickens (Town of Lexington’s new Events and Media Coordinator) becomes new Town of Lexington staff liaison to Lexington Arts Center Committee.
October 27, 2006 – Chairman Hamby meets with Lexington County Administration (County Administrator, Finance Director & Public Works Director) to discuss Lexington Arts Center project and business plan.
November 2, 2006 – Utility bill mailing with Mayor Halfacre’s letter goes out to Lexingtonians.
November – December 2006 – Videotaping of interviews conducted for Lexington Arts Center infomercial.
November 27, 2006 – Committee meets.
December 4, 2006 – Newly-elected Lexington Town Councilman Todd Shevchik sworn into office – replaces former Councilwoman as the new Lexington Arts Center Committee Town Council liaison.
Week of January 15, 2007 – Mayor Randy Halfacre meets with Columbia City Mayor, Bob Coble. Mayor Coble is ready to support the Lexington Arts Center project - notes that he believes what is good for Lexington is good for Columbia.
January 22, 2007 – Committee meets.
February 5, 2007 – Mayor Halfacre gives his State of the Town address and places emphasis on pursuit of the Lexington Arts Center.
February 12, 2007 – Cultural Council of Richland & Lexington Counties votes and agrees to server as fiscal agent for Lexington Arts Center project.
February 26, 2007 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Leadership Lexington County Class of 2007.
February 26, 2007 – Committee meets.
February 27, 2007 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Lexington Network of Female Executives.
March 5, 2007 – Lexington Town Council unanimously approves Hospitality Tax Funds to be used for proposed Lexington Arts Center expenses: marketing via billboards, building partnerships/VIP reception, and fund-raising capacity study consultant fees.
March 8, 2007 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Lexington County General Assembly Delegation.
March 15 , 2007 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Lexington Rotary.
March 26, 2007 – Committee meets.
Month of April, 2007 – Numerous positive letters to the editor are published in the Lexington County Chronicle & The Dispatch News. Also, online survey is offered for the month of April by the newspaper posting the question, "Do you favor a Performing Arts Center for Lexington?" By the end of the month, results yielded 83% responding with the answer, "Yes".
April 12, 2007 – Lexington Arts Center website begins new "Media Coverage" section.
April 23, 2007 – Committee meets.
Month of May, 2007 – Julie Washburn is announced as new Community & Corporate Coordinator for the Town of Lexington. She will be assisting in fund-raising efforts for the Lexington Arts Center project. She begins on July 2.
May 8, 2007 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Cayce/West Columbia Rotary.
May 29, 2007 – Committee meets.
June 14, 2007 – First of a number of VIP Receptions hosted at the home of David and Sheridan Perry.
June 25, 2007 – Committee meets.
July 2, 2007 – Julie Washburn begins as the Community and Corporate Coordinator for Town of Lexington.
August 22, 2007 – Committee meets.
September 2007 – Columbia Metropolitan Magazine publishes story on Lexington Arts Center project.
September 15, 2007 – RFP is issued to conduct a financial capacity feasibility study for the Lexington Arts Center project. This study is to serve as one of the final “due-diligence” steps of consultation for the project. The study helps serve as a measure of the community’s financial capacity for private giving (corporate and private) for such a project.
September 18, 2007 – Chairman Hamby meets with Cultural Council Board of Directors’ members to discuss Lexington Arts Center project and how it can be incorporated into the Columbia Chamber’s regional effort entitled, “Good to Great”
September 24, 2007 – Meeting to discuss project and plans of action - attendees: Chairman Hamby, Mayor Halfacre, Councilman Shevchik, Town Administrator Duckett, Asst. Town Administrator Poole, Town Attorney Cunningham & Coordinator of Community Affairs Washburn
October 22, 2007 – LEXAC committee meets.
November 2007 – Lexington Arts Center infomercial video produced by Town Staff.
November 5, 2007 – Chairman Hamby makes Lexington Arts Center presentation to Lexington Sertoma Club.
November 26, 2007 – LEXAC committee meets.
November 29, 2007 – LEXAC “one-pager” marketing piece is finalized. Click here to view.
December 3, 2007 – The Waters Pelton Organization (West Palm Beach, FL) www.waterspelton.com is the successful RFP bidder to conduct the financial capacity feasibility study for the Lexington Arts Center project. This study is to serve as one of the final “due-diligence” steps of consultation for the project. The study helps serve as a measure of the community’s financial capacity for private giving (corporate and private) for such a project.
December 7, 2007 – Mini-billboard promotion for the LEXAC project begins on Hwy. 6 through partnership with Hal Stevenson at Grace Outdoor.
December 12, 2007 – Full-size digital billboard promotion for the LEXAC project begins on Hwy. 378 through partnership with Hal Stevenson at Grace Outdoor.
January 2008 – Lexington Arts Center infomercial begins being played daily at 7am & 7pm on Time Warner Cable Channel 2.
January 23, 2008 – LEXAC committee meets.
January 24, 2008 – First LEXAC sub-committee consultation meeting with J. Keith Waters (Chairman & CEO) of the Waters Pelton Organization regarding the project’s upcoming financial capacity feasibility study.
January 31, 2008 – Second VIP Reception held - hosted at the home of Robert and Rose Wilkins.
February 4, 2008 – Chairman Hamby meets with Dr. Sorensen (President) of University of South Carolina regarding the Lexington Arts Center project.
February 25, 2008 – LEXAC sub-committee continues preparation work for the project’s upcoming financial capacity feasibility study.
February 25, 2008 – LEXAC committee meets.
February 28, 2008 – Chairman Hamby interviewed about the LEXAC project by Frank Knapp on the “U Need 2 Know” radio show.
