Milwaukee Theatre underperforming

The newly refurbished Milwaukee Theatre is not doing nearly as well as supporters of the project had hoped.

Through the first eight months of the year, the $42 million Milwaukee Theatre has generated operating income of just under $1 million, nearly 40% under budget.

When expenses are figured in, the theater is nearly $188,000 in the red through Aug. 31.

Taxpayers paid the bill for the old Mecca Auditorium to be remade into the Theatre. Considering downtown already has a number of theaters and concert venues, what was the need for the public to subsidize another one?

It would have made much more sense to use the property as part of an expansion for the convention center so that it could better compete with other cities for business.

These numbers also vindicate those of us who opposed a subsidy for the Pabst City project since it would have added yet another concert venue in the form of a House of Blues.