A member of the recently formed Jacksonville Center for the Arts board offered a big Christmas gift to the proposed transformation of a downtown Theater into a fine arts center.
JCA board member Cathy Randall made the pledge of $1-million toward the project.
Randall is a former Jacksonville alderman and active locally. She made the pledge in honor of her late husband, Robert “Bob” Randall. Both are long time backers of efforts for performing arts.
Bob Randall died in November of last year at age 79.
Cathy Randall says her husband long believed a multipurpose civic center with a performing arts facility could transform the downtown area into a cultural hub for Jacksonville.
The JCA has proposed to raise $8-point-8 million for the project, part of which is to buy the building. The option to purchase the Illinois Theatre has been extended to mid-February.
Randall hopes her commitment will inspire others to make contributions to the project.