Tri-Cities achieved much in the last 30 years. Time to add an arts center to the list | Opinion

Turn arts center dream into reality

I look with pride at the many accomplishments of our community over the past 30 to 40 years. Maybe because I was in local government for 15 of those years and the hard work of planning for the future and the opposition in getting there has been replaced with amenities that we take for granted today.

There will always be skeptics of any project big or small that local leadership undertakes. It’s the nature of the beast, but a beautiful part of democracy is that the people get to decide on what they want for their community.

Thirty-six years ago, Richland did not have a Community Center by the river, an expanded bridge across the Yakima Delta, the Reach Museum, the Badger Mountain trail system or WSU-Tri-Cities! The list goes on and on.

All of these amenities, which have added to our quality of life, took dedication, perseverance and champions to get them accomplished. A performing arts center has been in the minds of many Richlanders for over 30 years. It’s time to bring vision into reality! Please vote Yes on the Richland Public Facility District Proposition 1.

Carol Moser, Richland

Balancing budget on others’ misery

Benton Commissioner Jerome Delvin’s statement in the Jan. 22 edition of the Tri-City Herald that cooperation with ICE will make the community safer is misplaced if he is referring to the immigrant community. It is well documented that the undocumented crime rate is lower than U.S.-born citizen rate.

Delvin’s real goal in contracting with ICE in the misery of the unfortunate is to offset jail costs. We have seen this schtick before in the operation of the Benton County jail as a debtor prison. A lawsuit by the ACLU brought it to an end. At that time, the American Civil Liberties Union and National Public Radio found that the Benton County jail was operated as a debtor’s prison.

Twenty-five percent of the inmates in the Benton County jail, according to NPR’s investigative report, were not in jail for their misdemeanor charge, but because they failed to pay court fines and fees.

Selling jail beds for those ripped away from their family, those that pick our crops and clean our offices reminds me of the words of the bishop at Washington’s National Cathedral, who asked Mr. Trump to have mercy on immigrants. For Delvin, is it monetizing misery or mercy?

Mickey M. Beary, Richland

Counting benefits of performing arts

Building the Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center is not just about bringing touring performers in, though that is one of the benefits. It’s about the magic of live performances, local or otherwise. Live performances bring communities together.

Sharing the experience with other audience members builds bridges and removes walls. Having live performances in an optimal setting enables us to experience them in the best way possible.

A state-of-the-art venue enables performers to put on high-quality productions and helps local groups grow and shine. Please vote yes for the Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center, Richland friends and neighbors!

Julie Wiley, Richland

Say yes to arts, says performer

I am writing this in support of the ballot initiative for the Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center. Born and raised in the Tri-Cities, 30 years ago I was in my first performing production during First Night Tri-Cities. To have this production, we had to rent a church with a sanctuary big enough to hold performers and an orchestra.

I moved away to a larger city for college and ended up staying there for over 25 years. During this time, I enjoyed being in productions and seeing productions in a proper performing arts center. In 2018, I moved back to the Tri-Cities. 30 years later, we still lack a performing arts center.

As the Tri-Cities grows, a performing arts center will serve a central location for events. And a performing arts center will boost our economy, bringing jobs and revenue from productions to our community. As the board president of Mid-Columbia Mastersingers, one of the supporting partners of the Arts Center Task Force, I hope the residents of Richland will show their support of a performing arts center with their vote.

Emilia Keener, Pasco

Help arts flourish, vote yes Feb. 11

In the special election on Feb. 11, Richland residents have an unprecedented opportunity to build a greatly needed performing arts center in the Tri-Cities. Our community is bursting with artistic talent and flourishing arts organizations that need a dedicated place to sponsor their productions. This performing arts center would meet that need.

The Arts Center Task Force settled on 800 seats for the main auditorium because it’s an ideal size for supporting our arts organizations, and it is affordable and doable. It’s a vision that can be realized now. Let’s not miss this opportunity to add a major cultural asset to our region. The time has come for this center to be built. Vote “Yes” for Proposition 1, a measure to approve building a dedicated performing arts center for our region.

Evan Mehlenbacher, Richland

Creating a venue with quality sound

As our community considers the ballot measure for a performing arts center, the discussion about size of the venue is often raised. Here is why a smaller venue is ideal for our local performing arts. For orchestra, choral, opera and solo performances, acoustics are critical.

Smaller venues are tailored for intimate auditory experiences, ensuring every note resonates clearly. These settings highlight the subtleties of a violin’s bow, the interplay of vocal harmonies, or the emotion of a dramatic aria.

Larger halls, suited for amplified performances, often dilute these details due to excessive reverberation. Smaller venues also foster community connection. Audiences engage more directly with performers, enhancing appreciation for the art. Talented artists often prefer such spaces, where their craft is fully appreciated.

An 800-seat Performing Arts Center will fill a critical gap, complement larger venues and elevate local and regional performances. It will also attract high-caliber touring acts suited to intimate settings.

By voting YES on this measure, we invest in a venue that prioritizes quality, accessibility and the unique needs of our vibrant arts community. Let’s build a space where every note can be heard, every voice can shine and every heart can be moved.

Mitzi Holmes, Artistic Director Mid-Columbia Opera

Invest in a home for performances

As a recent Richland resident, I’ve been impressed by our community’s passion for arts and culture. The proposed Mid-Columbia Performing Arts Center, with its 800-seat design, is a perfect fit for our region. Not only will it provide a home for our local groups — such as choirs, theater productions and dance performances — but it will also attract rock, rap, comedy and other touring acts that currently bypass our area due to a lack of suitable venues.

Some believe we should hold out for a larger facility, but voting “no” doesn’t guarantee that. What it does guarantee is a missed opportunity to give our community a much-needed cultural hub. This center is thoughtfully designed to serve a wide range of events while being financially sustainable — a realistic plan that meets both current and future needs.

A performing arts center will do more than host shows; it will bring people together, boost our local economy and make the Tri-Cities a destination for arts and entertainment. Let’s invest in a space that reflects the vibrant, growing community we call home.

Veronika Pohl, Richland

He will be happy to pay share of tax

To my friends in Richland: Please vote “Yes” on the Performing Arts Center ballot measure. Building a first-class facility will add about two cents in sales tax to a $10 purchase. That’s two cents I’ll happily pay when doing business in Richland.

There’s an argument that goes, “800 seats is too small, we need 2,000 seats.” I agree, but that’s still 800 seats more than we have had for the last 40 years, and we have a way to let everyone help pay for it. It’s a good deal. Please vote “Yes.”

Kirk Williamson, Kennewick

Small venues can draw big crowds

Hey Tri-City folks. I know people want the big shows to come to town, and I understand that desire. What I hadn’t realized until I moved away to a city with a “smaller” theater is how many acts there are that don’t fill large venues but are interesting, exciting, unique and challenging.

They perform mid-week leaving the weekends for local groups to use the facility and these groups provide cultural evening entertainment all week long which helps create a vibrant economic life for local businesses.

You have a chance to truly enhance the Tri-Cities with a performing arts center that can be self-sustaining and enriching. Vote “Yes.”

Miriam Kerzner, Kelowna

This story was originally published February 2, 2025 at 3:00 AM.