The Town of Chester has had preliminary discussions with Orange County about selling the Sugar Loaf Performing Arts Center (SLPAC), which is operating in a deficit, to the county.

Originally known as the Lycian Center for the Performing Arts, SLPAC was built in 1992. Town of Chester Supervisor Brandon Holdridge said that he and the town board were very recently made aware that the facility is in a deficit. The projected net loss of the SLPAC for 2024 is $180,849 and for 2023 and 2022 it was $166,828 and $316,153 for a total of $663,830.

“We are getting an appraisal on the building to explore the option of a potential sale to the county for them to continue to run it as a Performing Arts Center,” Holdridge said. “We are many months of discussion, debate, fact-finding, public hearings, etc. away from any potential sale, lease agreement, or internal change. I look forward to exploring all options to make the most fiscally responsible decision for the residents of Chester.”

The town board has also been approached by Sugar Loaf Arts Collective, Inc., a nonprofit associated with the owner of Diamond Grade Media, with a contract offer to lease the building which they claim would cut back on the direct costs to Chester while they continue to manage it as a performing arts center. Holdridge has met with County Executive Steve Neuhaus about a potential SLPAC sale.

“(Neuhaus) stated the county has a much greater capacity to fund the desperately needed upgrades, renovations, and maintenance of the building, as well as properly providing for staffing and marketing, all of which would take years of budgeting at the expense of Chester taxpayers,” Holdridge said. “The town board will be speaking to both parties and considering all options on how to chart a path forward.”

Holdridge said that the town would hold at least one public hearing before a sale to any party and noted that any leasing or sale decisions would be subject to a permissive or mandatory referendum.