Downtown group backs Wheaton Grand

Officials for a downtown group in Wheaton have long maintained a vibrant Wheaton Grand Theater can only mean good things for the surrounding businesses.

During this election season, it put its money where its mouth is.

According to election records, the Downtown Wheaton Association in February donated $5,000 to the push to pass a referendum question that could determine the future of the 86-year-old theater on Hale Street.

“We think it's more of a referendum on the future of the downtown and the promotion of good public awareness and the marketing aspect of downtown,” said Keven Graham, vice president of the group and owner of Planning Resources Inc. “We would like to see active development projects in the downtown. We feel it fits with our mission of promoting activity in the downtown.”

An advisory referendum question in Tuesday's election will ask Wheaton voters whether the city should commit as much as $150,000 a year to help fund renovations at the theater. Of the five city council candidates, three have come out against the referendum while two, including the downtown group's president, Derek Bromstead, support it.

The donation comes from the group's marketing budget, which last year approached $95,000. Each year, the downtown group receives its money from a tax on property owners in a special service area downtown.

Graham said restoring the theater would benefit the reputation of Wheaton and the donation was a natural fit with the group's mission.

“It can be a catalyst for economic development,” he said. “We are not bent on ‘It needs to be a movie theater or a live performance theater.' But we feel its use is very important to downtown Wheaton ... The community that has things for people to do and have things to do downtown thrive.”

If the referendum passes, Friends of the Theater Committee Chairman Jim Mathieson has said he will approach the city about combining tax increment finance district money with private donations to renovate the theater.

“It's a good use and it's a positive momentum fund,” he said. “We are trying to find momentum to get revenue generators down there ... Let's see some positive momentum down there.”