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I have been working 10 hours a day, 6 days a week since May renovating and fixing up the Patio Theater in Chicago, Illinois.

I was banking on getting help from the city through TIFF but it never fell through. They put is on the waiting list, which means we wont be seeing any type of money from the city for at least 8 months.

I have been putting personal sweat equity along with taking out an equity loan from my house and personal savings to fix the theater. But money is running low, and there are still major projects that need to be finished (ie, seat upholstery, carpets, plumbing etc).

Is there any organization or group, either federally or state that helps with the preservation of old buildings, or groups that give money to the performing arts etc...?

I don't know much about raising money and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here is a facebook link for the theater with pictures.
www.facebook.com/pages/Chicago-IL/Patio-Theater/129959440363876

Thanks in advance!

For profit or not for profit? If you are a for profit enterprise it will be more difficult to get alternative funding. Going the not for profit route can open some doors to raising funds through donations, grants, etc. A drawback to not for profit is the giving up of control to a Board of Trustees. It wouldn't be "your" theatre anymre.

Nice place by the way. Good luck!

Sorry, yes this is a for profit business.

Nice looking place and you have gotten an amazing facebook following in such a short amount of time.

I like that you have started working on the outside going in so people can see the improvements.

Maybe you can sell some sort of memberships where people can pay $50 a person for free shows every once in a while or discounts at the concession stand. I would use that facebook following to your advantange.

How is the booth equipment?

How much more do you think you need to raise?

Try your local SCORE office. They have helped me out tremendously and its all free!
I started looking into purchasing an 1920's movie theater in my hometown that has been shut down for over 20yrs. They have given me guidance and advice that i would not have been able to find on my own.

SBA has stimulas money available for starting businesses and increasing the employment. It's a loan but they back it because a bank is not going to back all the things you need.

As of mid-November funds were still available for registered historically significant places.

Here is a link for income producing historical venues looking for funding.

If I come across any more current information, I will forward it on.

www.preservationnation.org/resources/fin...mercial-funding.html

When opening new theatres or renovating the old ones, it is a good choice to get seats from our China factory diredctly to save money.
You can get new seats with used seats cost from here. Door to Door shipment is accepted.

We,KD Seating, is a professinal seat factory with 20 years' manufacturing experience.

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Bob Yeung
KD Seating
Tel:+86 136 6339 1365
www.kdseating.com / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

www.destinationheartland.com
has access to non profit money as well as new construction
money for digital oonversion

You finance more than just equipment? New construction?