Star-Tribune Editorial Board

Gone is the hope that Casper's scenic Platte River Commons will become home to a civic auditorium.

But the committee that's been raising funds for the auditorium doesn't have time to waste on disappointment. The goal of building a first-class auditorium for the community remains viable, and the group should be just as enthusiastic about the new idea of putting the 1,000-seat auditorium in the Old Yellowstone District.

The committee failed to meet the Amoco Reuse Joint Powers Board's extended deadline to earn a $7.5 million match. But the $17.75 million project is still alive, and a revitalized Yellowstone neighborhood may be a far better location than the Amoco site.

The city's redevelopment plans for the area between Poplar and David streets include a pedestrian-friendly commercial district with restaurants, retail shops and housing. Most of Casper's movie screens are nearby. So an auditorium to showcase national, regional and local entertainment would be right at home.

Despite its exciting potential, the auditorium is far from a sure thing. A lot of fundraising work and planning remain to be done. Many pitfalls remain to be avoided.

A total of $8.4 million has been pledged to the project. The Casper Civic Auditorium group plans to raise an additional $2 million from private donors, foundations, and corporate sponsorships. Other funding plans include $600,000 in federal money and $2.5 million from the Joint Powers Board.

That all sounds fine. But the linchpin of the plan is a request to the city for $6 million in the form of a bond issue. These bonds are basically a kind of loan, guaranteed by a gift of expected trona royalties from Wold Trona Co. Inc. Committee leaders estimate the current value of the trona royalties at $6.8 million; the long-term income could be much more.

But production must begin on the trona leases in Sweetwater County within the next nine years, or the leases will expire. While the plan sounds promising, there is no guarantee the hoped-for trona mining ever will take place.

The community's comfort level with the project probably would be much higher if leaders had a plan for succeeding without the uncertain trona royalties. Then, if those funds truly came to fruition, the committee would have an additional revenue source to use for upgrades, cost overruns or operating costs.

To date, large donors have accounted for most of the money pledged to the auditorium. Before the city makes a financial commitment, the project needs broader community support. That can be accomplished if the committee vigorously promotes the message that an auditorium would benefit everyone - not just the cultural elite.

The committee can make a solid case that the auditorium would broaden cultural opportunities and educational programs. The facility can host conferences, seminars, and a wide variety of entertainment.

As an anchor tenant in the Old Yellowstone District, the auditorium would attract both local folks and tourists to help sustain surrounding businesses. The facility would complement a variety of other buildings suggested for the district, including new schools and the county's public library.

The auditorium committee seems to be moving in the right direction, and its goals merit community support. Now, the group must build on the new momentum it has gained from the location change, and persuade Casper that the town truly needs a civic auditorium.