KEVIN B. KLAUS/Arizona Summer Wildcat Blues Traveler lead singer John Popper performs at the Rialto Theatre in downtown Tucson in 2001. The Rialto is currently closed for construction, which is scheduled to begin in the next couple of months.

The Rialto Theatre, a downtown performance venue frequented by many UA students, will be shut down for approximately six months for interior and exterior renovations.

The Rio Nuevo District is expected to purchase the 85-year-old theater in the next several weeks, according to Doug Biggers, manager of the Congress Street Investors and the Congress Street Historic Theatres Foundation.

"The Rio Nuevo District has approved the purchase from the Rialto [Theatre] Foundation," Donovan Durband, Executive Director of the Tucson Downtown Alliance, said. "It's really a done deal, other than awaiting the appraisal. It should be finalized within a couple months."

"It needs to be more," Biggers said, of the Rialto Theatre. "It needs to be fixed up and operating at maximum potential."

With the approval of the Rio Nuveo board, the foundation asked the Tucson City Council for $1.89 million, according to Biggers. Of that, $1.54 million will go toward purchasing the Rialto Theatre from the owners, Paul Bear and Jeb Schoonover. The remaining $350,000 will be used for renovations.

Biggers expects a decision from the city council and Mayor Bob Walkup in September.

In addition, Congress Street Investors donated $100,000 to the theatre improvement fund. In order to access the remaining $350,000, the foundation must raise $250,000, totaling $700,000 for the improvement budget.

According to Biggers, the foundation will generate money through "direct fund-raising from individual philanthropists and grants." In addition, Biggers said the idea is to get the Rialto remodeled and reopened as soon as possible so that it can generate additional funds, which may be used to finance other major improvements down the line.

"We don't have a final number yet because the foundation doesn't currently own the theatre," said Biggers.

After it is officially purchased, the Rialto Theatre will be leased to the non-profit Rialto Theatre Foundation, namely Bear and Schoonover, for $3,690 a month.

"There is a purchase agreement in place, and the sale closing will take place once an appraisal is completed," said Durband. "Theaters are not easy to appraise, and not just any old real estate appraiser is qualified to do it."

Because the Rialto Theatre has yet to be appraised, there is no exact price on how much the repairs will cost. Biggers estimates it will cost $2-3 million dollars to completely renovate the theater.

Once the Rialto Theatre has been appraised and is closed down, there will be "much-needed improvements inside, as well as exterior work, including the installation of a marquee and sign that will re-create the Rialto's original marquee," said Durband.

Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and other safety issues will be addressed in the renovation, according to Biggers.

"Taxpayers aren't being asked to pay for this in the sense that this is a general fund allocation," said Durband.

Though tax-increment financing (TIF), portions of the sales tax generated by businesses within the Rio Nuevo District are used to pay for projects like the renovation of the Rialto Theatre. This district, which begins downtown and extends down Broadway, includes the El Con Mall, Park Place Mall and other adjacent businesses.

Congress Street Investors, which owns much of the block on which the Rialto Theatre is located as well as the block west of the theater, was founded when Biggers and his wife Katie Gannon decided to help refurbish downtown Tucson.

Biggers said that when he approached Bear and Schoonover about selling the Rialto Theatre, their asking price was $1.54 million.

Many students have frequented the Rialto Theatre and agree that it is in dire need of remodeling.

Bryan Pelekoudas, a media arts senior, said that he has been to the Rialto Theatre at least five times over a four-year period. When he went to see the band OAR (Of a Revolution) perform, he said the Rialto looked "run-down and trashy."

Pelekoudas said the theatre should be remodeled because "the sound system sucks. It's just really dirty."

Jeffrey Adler, a journalism senior, said that he has been to the Rialto four times since he started attending the UA. He recalls the Queens of the Stone Age performance he saw last year.

"It was small, strange acoustics, the speakers were too big for the place," Adler said describing the theatre. "It took three or four songs to get the sound levels right so we could hear something."

However, Adler admits that he likes the Shakespearean appearance of the theatre.

Not all UA students believe the Rialto should be remodeled.

Cheryl Pergola, an anthropology junior, said she was not dismayed by the theater's appearance.

Having seen the band Left Over Salmon and Kelly Williams perform, Pergola said her experience at the theater "wasn't bad."

"It depends on what the plans are for renovating it," she said. "I like the way it is. If they get rid of the floor that will piss me off because everyone can dance on the floor."

Built as an accompaniment to the Hotel Congress, the Rialto was the first theater constructed in downtown Tucson. Since it's opening in 1919, the Rialto has endured closing down numerous times, competition with other theatres, a fire and a boiler explosion.

Its stage has been graced by the likes of Clara Bow, Ginger Rogers, the Sistine Choir and Delores del Rio in earlier years.

There have been numerous performances since Bear and Schoonover purchased the theater in 1995 and reopened it in 1997.

More recently, Talib Kweli with MF Doom, poet/actor Saul Williams, Cursive, Mike Park, The Shins, Maroon Five and Yellowcard have performed there.

Even local Tucson bands, including The Funkamentals, Neon Prophet and Greyhound Soul have graced the stage.

The Tucson Area Music Awards (The Tammies) was the last event held at the theater, on June 23.