The Tulsa Performing Arts Center Trust has abandoned plans to build a temporary standalone theater in the parking lot it owns on Cincinnati Avenue, scrapping an idea that had been floated as a stopgap venue while the downtown arts hub undergoes a major renovation. The decision affects a site planned directly east of the entertainment venue, and comes as the Trust prepares for a closure that will upend performance schedules for Tulsa's resident arts companies.
According to Tulsa World, the Trust announced the move Friday, saying it is foregoing construction of the temporary theater during the PAC's renovation. The Trust had previously contemplated a 1,800-seat temporary modular theater for the Cincinnati Avenue lot, and an earlier report from Tulsa Flyer also described a proposed capacity of 1,800 seats. Tulsa World reported that the Trust had hoped the estimate would be under $30 million but received an estimate of $35 million to $38 million.
per the same account, the Trust said the temporary venue was neither practical nor responsible given financial and logistical constraints, and argued that philanthropic giving should stay focused on the PAC's permanent master plan rather than a short-term fix.
Closure Timeline Still in Question
The PAC is planned to close June 1, 2028, and reopen in fall 2030, Tulsa World reported. That timeline matches what Tulsa Flyer reported 45 days earlier, when the outlet said the center was slated to close in June 2028, with completion expected in fall 2030.
During the construction period, ticketing and administrative services will continue as usual, the Trust said, even as the physical building sits closed. The same report notes that the Trust plans to provide more details on 2028-2030 performance schedules, partner venues and community programming in the coming months.
Shows Move to Parks, Schools and University Stages
With the standalone theater off the table, the PAC's resident arts companies are expected to present programming in new formats, including outdoor performances and mobile concert stages. The venue is also expected to host performances at neighborhood parks, local schools, university concert halls and regional stages while the main building is shuttered, the outlet reports.
The Trust also said it will invest in regional venue collaborations and neighborhood-based arts initiatives to keep performing arts activity going across the city during the closure. An earlier report from Tulsa Flyer had indicated that PAC CEO Mark Frie expected details of an agreement with the University of Tulsa to be finalized by January 2027, a potential piece of that alternative-venue strategy.
Inside the $135 Million Renovation
The renovation itself carries a price tag of $135 million, according to KTUL, combining $79.7 million in public funding approved through the Improve Our Tulsa 3 package with a $55 million privately funded expansion. Tulsa voters approved $79.7 million as part of that 2023 capital improvements package, while the Trust is separately raising $55 million to expand the PAC to the west.
Plans for the rebuilt PAC include a multifloor lobby with a grand staircase, additional restrooms, a restaurant, a VIP lounge area and event function space. The expansion also calls for outdoor performance space in the Williams Center Green. When the venue reopens, it's expected to feature modernized acoustics, expanded amenities, full accessibility and improved public spaces.
Earlier coverage from KTUL had described the Trust as still studying the modular theater option over the summer, with a feasibility study expected to wrap up by the end of September. Friday's announcement closes that chapter, leaving Tulsa's performing arts groups to plan a nearly two-and-a-half-year stretch without their usual home on Cincinnati Avenue.
