Roanoke Rapids Theatre gets temporary new management

Roanoke Rapids, N.C. — Roanoke Rapids has approved an agreement for temporary management to take over the town's troubled theater.

Mayor Emery Doughtie said that the City Council voted 4-1 to enter an agreement with Gil Cunningham with Nashville, Tenn.-based Neste Event Marketing to manage the Roanoke Rapids Theatre. Roanoke Rapids businesswoman Elizabeth Branham will assist.

The contract, which still must be approved by attorneys, has a clause that allows either side to opt out of the deal within 30 days. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Neste Event's website says that it is a full-service event-production company with clients throughout North America.

This is the third management arrangement since the city borrowed $22 million in 2005 to build the theater it named for its headliner and original manager, country music singer Randy Parton, brother of Dolly Parton.

After that deal soured, officials agreed to a lease-sale agreement with Lafayette Gatling of Chicago. The city ended the contract with Gatling after he fell behind on his payments.

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Latest Comments

must be nice to be the town guy who handed all the money out and had to answer to no one for creating this mess for the town.

bmg379
October 14, 2010 5:11 p.m.

Why not try to promote it as the Southern White House?

tim14
October 14, 2010 3:21 p.m.

the drive thru funeral guy failed there also,the city saw the opp to sell all the equipment at fire sale pricing to recoup some of their money

bmg379
October 14, 2010 3:13 p.m.

Let's see a schedule and go see some shows! There was so much good music and entertainment in lake country when the theater was open. It's a great idea, I'm still convinced RR could be a mini Branson with the lake right there, just get some good mgt. in place.