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Dec 20, 2020
Youngstown and Mahoning County have long been blessed with multiple sports, event and entertainment venues, all valuable in their own ways. But in light of last week’s news report about recent administrative changes, two facilities in particular come to mind the DeYor Performing Arts Center and Stambaugh Auditorium.
These historic Youngstown facilities are equally beautiful and extremely valuable venues for our area, and we could afford to lose neither. While they both offer large, exquisite concert auditoriums comparable in age, size and seating capacity, each also is unique in terms of other spaces, location, logistics and parking.
Frankly, the value of each is immeasurable to this community.
Chris Jaskiewicz, vice president of the YSS board, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for the decision.
“It’s just tough to run a large venue like that,” he said. “We’ve worked really hard and last year started to gain momentum and had some great shows. Then COVID hit, and it really hit hard … Our revenue comes from shows, it comes from people in the building, and we can’t have people in the building right now. That’s really hurt us.”
The DeYor complex includes Powers Auditorium, which will celebrate its 90th anniversary in 2021, as well as the 600-seat Ford Family Recital Hall and Flad Pavilion, which also has been used as a performance space.
agray@tribtoday.com
Stambaugh Auditorium announced a management agreement Tuesday with the Youngstown Symphony Society Board of Directors to operate the DeYor Performing Arts Center. Afterward, the symphony board laid off DeYor’s administrative staff.
Chris Jaskiewicz, vice president of the YSS board, blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for the decision.
“It’s just tough to run a large venue like that,” he said. “We’ve worked really hard and last year started to gain momentum and had some great shows. Then COVID hit, and it really hit hard … Our revenue comes from shows, it comes from people in the building, and we can’t have people in the building right now. That’s really hurt us.”