OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Grand Oshkosh announced an upgrade coming to the 137-year-old theatre.
In the coming months, The Grand will receive a makeover of its marquee, restoration of a blade sign which has not appeared on the building since the 1920s, and upgrade of its message center to a state-of-the-art electronic sign.
The project is funded through the first of several “branding licenses,” and will be known as the Festival Foods Marquee.
“From the outside, The Grand will be exactly the same, except for these tremendous enhancements,” said Joseph Ferlo, director of The Grand Oshkosh.
He says the design of the signage is reminiscent of the 1920s Grand Opera House.
“The building will remain the Grand Opera House, but the addition of branding licenses to elements like the lobby, auditorium, and Grand Lounge not only provides us with a new income stream at a time our traditional income streams are slowed or stopped, but also a mechanism to continue to maintain and improve this wonderful, living piece of history,” Ferlo explains.
For each future branding license, 25% of the income will be placed into a special account at the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, and will be designated for further improvements to the theatre complex.
