City Unveils Enhanced Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 20, 2006

For more information, contact:
Danise Alano, Assistant Director of Economic Development, City of Bloomington, 349-3477
Maria K. Heslin, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-3569

Bloomington, IN - At a news conference today, Mayor Mark Kruzan announced that the City of Bloomington has enhanced the planned Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District (BEAD).

"We have made some modifications that broaden the district both geographically and thematically," Kruzan said. "We are really excited about these opportunities, and look forward to continuing our collaboration with multiple arts organizations, venues, restaurants,Indiana University, individuals artists and entertainers, and local businesses to make BEAD a reality."

After significant research and several targeted focus groups, the City unveiled the preliminary vision for BEAD in May and invited public comment, which the City has been collecting ever since and which contributed to the modifications. Staff also engaged in further research regarding other communities' districts and continued meeting with interested partners to further concept and development.

"The passion and support that individuals and community organizations have demonstrated for wanting to be a part of BEAD have been terrific," Kruzan said. "It shows us we are headed in the right direction with this initiative."

The map of BEAD now resembles a bead-like shape, which will allow for creative marketing opportunities and visual identity packages. Already marked by several distinct character areas, BEAD now includes additional areas, both established and developing, such as Kirkwood Avenue, "Restaurant Row" on 4th Street, a gateway to the IU campus and its many arts offerings, and a fourth festival street.

Specific organizations, businesses and venues featured in the expanded BEAD include the Bloomington/Monroe County Convention Center, Rhino's Youth Center, the Player's Pub, the City's Adult Community Center, Third Street Park, Landlocked Music and Boxcar Books to the south; the Monroe County Public Library, Pygmalion's Art Supplies, Kirkwood Avenue up to the Sample Gates of Indiana University, and Restaurant Row to the East; Jake's Night Club, the Bloomington Playwrights Project, the U Club, Scotty's and other restaurants to the North; and further areas of development opportunity to the west.

"Along with staff direction, a key piece of public input that inspired modifications were comments made by local arts advocate Tom Zoss, the night of the BEAD public meeting," Kruzan said. "Tom suggested broadening the geography to make it larger and providing certain economic incentives to specific areas of potential development within the district."

Kruzan said while there are many reasons for creating the district, the main goal is to focus creative enterprise downtown to enhance Bloomington's economic vitality.

"Expanding the community's creative capacity will allow us to market downtown Bloomington as a vibrant and thriving entertainment and arts destination to both residents and visitors," Kruzan said. "BEAD also will help broaden public access to the arts, foster those that make their living with their craft, and ensure sustained growth in Bloomington's creative industries for their long-term, economic development."

BEAD will feature a thriving arts, music, theater and museum scene anchored by many strong, established cultural institutions, growing commercial and retail businesses, restaurants and residences. Each area will have a special flavor of its own, and will feature particular visual cues and themes plus other amenities to help visitors know what area they are exploring.

"Our intent for the district continues to be to strengthen the efforts of already successful entertainment and arts enterprises while providing opportunities to develop new creative ventures," Kruzan said. "Now with a broader geographical base, BEAD provides a wider array of prospects for those endeavors. At the same time, it presents an even more ambitious and challenging initiative. It will take strong collaborations to make BEAD successful."

The next step for BEAD will be creation of a strategic plan to guide the district's development. Among other things, the plan will identify: programs and opportunities to enhance district members' success; which festival streets and other infrastructure to develop first; ways to facilitate pedestrian traffic and visual identity; and how best to market the district to residents and visitors.

"We have a lot of exciting ideas we are eager to pursue," Kruzan said. "The strategic plan will help us determine priorities and a timeline for projects and initiatives. We look forward to continuing our partnership with the community to get this part of the process underway."

Kruzan said his office will make three more BEAD-related announcements within the next six to eight weeks as the project continues to develop.

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