Denver not sitting still with top 5 cultural venues -- just ask Jack Finlaw

August 11, 3:28 PMDenver People ExaminerErnie Tucker

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Historical Red Rocks -- home to many seats (Theatres
and Arenas)

Jack Finlaw hasn’t appeared obsessed by the rear ends of his concert-going customers during his nearly five years as head of Denver’s Theatres and Arenas. But he’s pragmatic, and if Finlaw wants the city to be sitting pretty, the bottom line is that he has to take care of folks’ backsides.

Last month, the city auctioned off 28 pieces of original redwood benches from Red Rocks – dating from 1941 and rest stop for countless fans watching groups ranging from the Beatles to U2, among other spectacles. But sometimes, familiarity breeds contempt.

“Even though the benches have such sentimental value, redwood installed by the Civilian Conservation Corps when Red Rocks was built, they have been used and abused,” says Finlaw, adding seats were altered further years ago when concert promoter Barry Fey wanted “to squeeze more people, so seating was crunched, and had a two number system.”

Still, despite the nasty splinters and creosote coating, these relics retain historic charm for collectors. The auction, which netted about $8,000 for city restoration, garnered bids ranging from $625 to $1,055 for the eight-foot long sections. It’s a part of an on-going refurbishing of the outdoor venue that’s about a third completed, as work proceeds during the off-season.

A newer type of ecologically-renewable Brazilian wood is replacing them, and is reputed to be more fanny-friendly.

But Finlaw isn’t sitting still.

The man appointed by Mayor John Hickenlooper in September, 2003, as Director of Denver’s Theatres and Arenas Division is overseeing more than Red Rocks and its Visitor Center. His department also manages the city’s Colorado Convention Center, the Ellie Caulkins Opera House – which opened in 2005 to much fanfare, the Buell Theatre and Boettcher Concert Hall, along with their $30 million annual operating budgets. Most significantly, he’s involved in the upgrade of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s home. Last month, his department was part of a panel that selected a Connecticut acoustics firm, Akustiks, to join the Boettcher Concert Hall design team. Also taking part in the rehab are the home team CSO, Denver’s Public Works department, Toronto-based architects Diamond and Schmitt and its local partner Oz Architecture, and the Romani Group, the day-today project managers.

Boettcher, built in 1978, has had acoustical and accessibility problem, officials contend. “It was the first hall in the round, and sometimes cutting-edge technology doesn’t quite work,” Finlaw explains.

After Denver voters approved a $60 million bond initiative in November 2007, the CSO pledged at least $30 million more in private money, all earmarked at providing major upgrades, including educational space to handle the busloads of school children who attend and … new seats for Boettcher!

“Now it’s 30 years old. The typical life of seats is 15 to 18 years, so they’re getting creaky and old,” he says.

By 2012, the new hall will re-open. Of course, there are challenges for the CSO in the interim, and since all the city-owned venues are booked, it’s possible the symphony will add a tent, perhaps like some of the installations at the Aspen Institute.

Finlaw dismisses some worries about upheaval of CSO leadership even after news broke that current Music Director and concert pianist Jeffrey Kahane will leave in two years and Doug Adams, president and CEO of the symphony, is resigning effective Sept. 5 to take over at the Dallas Symphony, where he once was General Manager. Finlaw praised the remaining CSO leadership team, noting “The symphony will attract a really top-notch candidate because the symphony’s financially healthy." The new CEO will be able to help select a new music director and be involved in the new Boettcher designs.

Finlaw, coming up on his anniversary, vows he has no plans to step down.

“There are important things yet to be done here at Theatres and Arenas. We really have everything running on all cylinders,” he says.

Which leaves him in the driver’s seat awhile longer.