Gillioz Theatre likely will be auctioned Friday

The historic Gillioz Theatre in downtown Springfield, Mo., is scheduled to go on the auction block on Friday, and a local college may be interested in buying it, according to the Springfield News-Leader.

Hal Higdon, chancellor of Ozark Technical Community College, told the newspaper the college would buy the theater if “the price is right” because it’s already using it to some degree.

For six years the college has rented space on the third-floor for its Fine Arts Department, he said.

In addition, the college holds several events at the 1,130-seat multilevel theater, including its G.E.D. graduation ceremony, its capping-and-pinning ceremonies for nursing graduates and twice a year it holds ceremonies for students inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, a national academic honors society.

Nothing would change regarding the operation of the Gillioz Theatre, Higdon said.

“We would contract with a third party just like is done now,” he said.

There’s still a chance the theater won’t be auctioned. The preservation trust said earlier in the month it remained in talks with the bank, and was confident a deal could be worked out.

The theater, which is owned by the Springfield Landmarks Preservation Trust, has suffered through financial issues in recent years, and Guaranty Bank is poised to call the loan on the property. At least report, the theater owed about $3.5 million. Three years ago, the theater avoided a foreclosure.

The Gillioz was built in 1926 on what became Route 66. It closed about 1990, but reopened in 2006 after years of renovations.

(Image of the Gillioz Theatre by Pete Zarria via Flickr)

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