$5M Rialto Square Theatre Grant: Larry Walsh Jr. Delivers

JOLIET, IL — State Rep. Larry Walsh, Jr., D-Elwood, will host a news conference at 10 a.m. Friday to announce more details about a $5 million grant that the Rialto Square Theatre will receive through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Walsh will hold his news conference at the Rialto, which was built in 1926 and is regarded as one of the top 10 most beautiful indoor entertainment venues in North America.

“The Rialto Square Theatre is a cultural center in greater Will County, as well as an important historic building," Walsh said in Wednesday's announcement. "I recognize the theater’s continued success is essential to the area for cultural and entertainment programming for our 86th District, as well as for jobs and the vitality of downtown."

The historic Rialto Square Theatre is managed by VenuWorks, Inc. based in Ames, Iowa.

Last August, Patch reported that the Rialto Square Theatre was awarded a Shuttered Venue Operator's Grant of more than $1.4 million.

At that time, Rialto executive director Val Devine told Patch that the Rialto was facing several expensive building projects and repairs with the following estimated costs:

• Remodel and expansion of main floor restrooms, about $550,000
• New A/C unit for the Rotunda/Esplanade/Theatre about $900,000
• Removal and replacement of roof about $30,000
• Infra-Red testing repairs about $30,000
• Replacement of theater seating about $725,000