Park District—- Cost of Restoring Virginia Marquee Comarable to Building Replica of Original

In the controversy over a new marquee sign for the Virginia Theater, the Champaign Park board has learned that there's little difference in cost between rebuilding the current neon marquee and constructing a replica of the original marquee from the 1920s.

In fact, a company specializing in theater marquees told the park district that rebuilding the yellow, neon, triangular and badly deteriorated Virginia marquee could cost 140 to 160 thousand dollars. Meanwhile, bids for building a replica of the original, white, rectangular marquee range from 158 to 270-thousand dollars.

Park District Marketing Director Laura Auteberry says that at their May meeting, park commissioners want to see more detailed, color renderings of the original marquee replica, so they can better compare it next month with the current marquee that has attracted some vocal defenders.

"Because a lot of the comments we've received from the community is they like the neon, they like the color, that that really stands out when people are going by", says Auteberry. "So we're going to provide that in the way of a rendering, so it gives people a better vision --- between the two --- of which would look better on the building."

At a study session Wednesday , four of the five park commissioners said they personally prefer the original marquee from the 20s, but don't want to go against popular opinion if it truly favors the current marquee. Work on the marquee would be part of the renovation of the Virginia Theater lobby, scheduled for June through November.