SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, a night at the theater takes on new meaning.
"We're so excited. Oh my god, this is so great!” said Rick Carter, a Sacramento native dressed in a colonial costume at the opening night of Hamilton in the Capitol City.
The production marks the grand opening of the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center.
"I've been coming here 40 years, and it looks great. I can't wait to see the rest of it,” said Randy Frease, a theater guest.
The $120 million renovation project expanded seating to nearly 2,200 seats and two dozen seating areas for wheel chair access, but more than that, it has brought back jobs.
"It's just great to see life and people back on the street that are headed here to the theater, and that's exciting," said Richard Lewis.
Lewis, CEO and President of Broadway Sacramento, says the state of the art performing arts center now serves as a second world-class bookend to the K Street corridor with the Golden 1 Center at the end of the street.
"I think we can look forward to a real renaissance here in downtown Sacramento, a restoration of K street of what it was historically in Sacramento as kind of the heart of the city,” Lewis said.
K Street was ravaged by the pandemic. Paula Thompson, owner of Smic's, opened her wine bar in March 2020 only to shut down a week later due to state-wide coronavirus restrictions. The wine bar reopened in March 2021, but it’s been a roller coaster. Thompson says she’s looking forward to more activity in the district.
"We are really lucky to be so close to something to bring so many people in what have been dark times. I think excitement is an understatement. We need it,” she said.
Thompson's team has been ready to see K Street abuzz. They are creating a new happy hour menu in anticipation of attracting new guests.
"I'm so excited! So excited to bring new people downtown, especially those from out of town who haven’t been to the new convention center or have no idea we’re here,” Thompson said.
ABC10 checked in with Thompson after the show. She said business picked up for her wine bar on Hamilton’s opening night, and she hopes for more fruitful nights to come.
Mayor Darrell Steinberg posted to Facebook that the special night signal’s the city’s creative economy taking off.
“Hamilton asks, ‘who lives, who dies, who tells your story?’ Sacramento is creating and re-creating our own inspired story every day. Tonight is one special chapter,” he said.
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