Mayor Bob O'Dekirk: Why Not Buy the Rialto?

Photo via Rialto Square Theatre Facebook page

As the Rialto Square Theatre board reviews proposals to pursue a third-party management company, Mayor Bob O’Dekirk entertained the idea of buying the Rialto during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, MySuburbanLife.com reports.

“If we had control of the theater, we could control the business model,” O’Dekirk said in the story. “Right now, we have no say. They don’t want to hear what we have to say. They’ve made that clear,” said O’Dekirk.

The board heard presentations from two companies on June 1– Onesti Entertainment and VenuWorks – but then decided a third-party manager would be a better option for the Rialto, the Herald-News reports.

Councilman Jim McFarland is not in favor of the city purchasing the Rialto and says Joliet already has their hands full with ownership of Silver Cross Field and completing the multi-modal center under construction downtown, according to MySuburbanLife.com.

“I don’t see how the city can afford to buy the Rialto,” McFarland said.

More via mysuburbanlife.com and the Herald-News