Join Friends of The Senator to Keep Up with RFP Process

The deadline for parties interested in owning or operating The Senator Theatre to submit an RFP to the BDC was today at noon.

The Senator Theatre volunteer and advocacy group, Friends of The Senator will be following the process and keeping you updated on the proposals. The group was founded by Tom Harris two years ago and has been volunteering to help keep The Senator open and operating since April. I know there are other groups out there purporting to be advocacy groups with some sort of interest in the theatre, but Friends of The Senator is the only advocacy group that has been coming in the theatre's doors on a regular basis and working as volunteers.

I've been volunteering 7 days a week most weeks at the theatre (which is why my blogging has slowed down a lot), so naturally I've joined forces with Friends of The Senator. I hope you will join us as we advocate for complete restoration of the historic building and for The Senator to continue its tradition of being the premiere community-oriented arts and entertainment venue in the region while transitioning to non-profit ownership.

Become a fan of Friends of The Senator on Facebook.

Keep up to date on the Friends of The Senator blog.

Follow us on twitter.

WOW! Look what David Arquette just did!

David Arquette just posted an awesome blog post on saving the Senator Theatre! Thanks, David!

Partial quote:

The Senator Theater in Baltimore Maryland. This historic single-screen Art Deco Movie Theater was completed in 1939 and has been family owned for 69 years. It is breath taking, terrazzo floors, art deco murals, multi-colored glass bricks that serve as the backdrop to a classic neon sign, and a huge golden curtain that opens to reveal an era of film appreciation that has long been forgotten. The Senator Theater was added to the National Resister of Historic Places in 1989 but is (RIGHT NOW) in danger of falling into the wrong hands and ultimately becoming yet another soul-less mini mall type breeding ground for a large mouse that has a passion for pizza, video games and cheap beer.

A fundraising event starting this Friday February 13 and continuing through the 15th is scheduled to help save this gem of Americana. There will be several local bands, food, and entertainment so please go to http://www.senator.com/ to get all of the information you need to help preserve this beautiful example of the art deco architecture.

Why do I care? Because I’ve seen it, I’ve walked through it’s sacred halls, I love it and I want my daughter to see it, wonder through it in awe, and love it as I do someday soon. I want to help save it - by making sure the current owner Tom Kiefaber (who’s family has owned it for 69 years) has a say in it’s preservation and can pay the bills necessary to help it in it’s transition to becoming a non-profit that will allow The Senator to remain safe in the hands of the people, to live for generations to come, so that their children’s children can relish in it’s beauty.