County Commission Gives $150K For Bama Theatre Renovations

TUSCALOOSA, AL — The Tuscaloosa County Commission on Wednesday voted to put $150,000 toward much-needed renovations to the historic Bama Theatre in downtown Tuscaloosa.

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The funding came at the request of the The Arts and Humanities Council of Tuscaloosa County and will be used for new carpeting, seats, and a new stage floor. In total, the expected price tag for the renovations will come out to $363,274.09.

District 1 Commissioner Stan Acker told Patch the group planned to request the same amount of funding from the City of Tuscaloosa, in addition to other fundraising efforts to pick up the difference.

The changes will come not a moment too soon, as the carpet was last replaced in 1999. Separately, the request points out that the current seating has been there since the early 1980s.

The Bama Theatre, which is listed on the National Registry of Landmarks and Heritage, was first opened in 1938 and has been a central location for the performing arts community for nearly a century.

Apart from large-scale theatrical productions, the Bama Theatre is used for pageant and school events for many in the Tuscaloosa County School System, which was likely a motivating factor in the request receiving unanimous support from the Commission.

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