Support of Wheaton Theatre partnership

On Monday, Aug. 25 the Wheaton Park District will host a public meeting to discuss its possible financial involvement in the restoration and operation of the Wheaton Grand Theatre. The Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, at the direction of the 2008 board of directors, wholeheartedly supports this partnership.

The Wheaton Chamber is dedicated to the success of the business community through leadership, education and service. Our vision is that our members - close to 500 people in Wheaton and surrounding communities - are the pillars of the business community. Our values are that the Chamber is open, accessible and inclusive; collaborative and creative, and emphasizes business partnerships by proactively serving our members' needs.

Support for the Wheaton Grand Theatre and Wheaton Park District partnership encompasses what the Chamber envisions for its members. This collaboration, however, reaches far beyond the city of Wheaton; it is a tremendous opportunity to attract visitors to our town. Local businesses would profit well from this partnership, too, as an estimated 300,000 additional people are expected to come downtown, two-thirds of which would come from outside Wheaton. And with the theater as an anchor, more businesses are sure to consider Wheaton when looking for a place to establish operations. The benefits and its potential impact are tremendous.

As a community, we are on the verge of seeing great change. The Hubble redevelopment is in its early stages; as residents we will witness growth in this area. Add the potential that the theater will bring and watch Wheaton grow into "The" place to live and visit. We strongly encourage the people of Wheaton to support this project.

On Aug. 25 Ray Shepardson, project manager for the Wheaton Grand Theatre, and Mike Benard, executive director of the Wheaton Park District, will present their proposal to the community. We will be there representing the business community and are eager to see this project move forward.

Lisa Bock

President

Vickie Austin

Chairman of the Board Wheaton Chamber of Commerce