Little Rock's Robinson Center is turning 10 again, sort of, and the whole town is invited to the party for free. On Nov. 10, the downtown venue will mark a decade since it reopened after a $70 million transformation, with behind-the-scenes tours, live performances, a stamp-collecting contest and a visit from Mrs. Potts of “Beauty and the Beast.”
The Little Rock Convention & Visitors Bureau will host the celebration from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Robinson Center, 426 W. Markham St., according to KARK. The event is open to the public and free to attend. Guests can take behind-the-scenes tours, enjoy live performances and join interactive activities throughout the building.
Stamps, Season Passes and a Teapot With Opinions
Performances are slated to feature resident organizations including the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, Ballet Arkansas and the Celebrity Attractions Broadway Series. The announcement does not spell out individual performers or showtimes, so those details remain to be seen.
Visitors can also work through an interactive passport activity, collecting stamps at designated locations for a chance to win season passes from participating resident organizations. Attendees can meet Mrs. Potts ahead of the venue's upcoming production of “Beauty and the Beast,” the report notes.
What $70 Million Bought
Robinson Center originally opened in 1939 and was named for former Arkansas governor and U.S. Congressman Joseph T. Robinson. The renovation reopened its doors on Nov. 10, 2016, UALR Public Radio reported at the time. The project was funded by a two percent rededicated advertising and promotion tax that voters approved in 2013.
The work brought expanded lobbies and restrooms, a grand ballroom on the roof, new meeting rooms and a large outdoor terrace facing the Arkansas River. UALR Public Radio also noted that acoustic panels can be adjusted to deliver the best possible sound for any type of performance.
According to project architects Polk Stanley Wilcox, the performance hall can handle the largest and most complex Broadway touring shows and concerts, with 2,214 seats on two tiers. The new conference center adds event space for 530 people and four meeting rooms. The firm says the building's exterior and historic lobby were restored.
From Elvis to the Economy
The venue has deep showbiz roots. UALR Public Radio lists Elvis Presley, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Bob Hope and Nat King Cole among the performers who have appeared there. The Encyclopedia of Arkansas notes that Presley performed at the auditorium in 1955 and 1956.
The renovation also preserved the building's place on the National Register of Historic Places, per KARK's account. Officials say the transformation modernized the facility while keeping its historic character, adding modern technology, improved accessibility and expanded event space.
Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr. credited the reopening with a broader payoff. “It has helped boost the local economy, attracted visitors who support our restaurants and hotels,” he said, according to the same report. The announcement did not include figures measuring that impact.
The bureau's president and CEO, Gina Gemberling, said the center has been important to Little Rock's history for generations, and that the transformation created new avenues for hosting varied city events for residents and visitors. Per Little Rock's official visitor site, Robinson Center is a cornerstone of downtown that combines historic elegance with modern convention and meeting capabilities.
