SUPPORTING THE LOCAL SPIRIT BY DANCING THE NIGHT AWAY!

Remember when we all used to hang out around the American Legion Hall in Harriman on Friday nights? Of course I wasn’t much of a dancer, but I did occasionally try to impress someone by “cuttin’ a rug”, but mostly I stood outside listening to the music while talking and smoking with “the guys”!

Good music and dancing still happens on Friday nights at the Harriman American Legion Hall. As a matter of fact, some of the same old gang that used to make all that music are still “pickin’ and grinnin’” as the “Riverfront Band”! It begins at 7:00 PM.

Remember ol’ Bill and Bobby Wright (no relation), Jim Galyon, Jim Crawley, and Gary Morgan? They are still making good music! Other local musicians also occasionally join them; you never really know who will be there, and YOU could join them if you really wanted to! Why not…let’s bring back the fun of Friday nights with music, singing, and dancing!

Pictured on the left are Jim Galyon, Noel White, David Galyon (Jim’s son from Houston), Jim Crawley (on steel), Don Gullett (on bass), and Forrest Robbins (on drums). The young man in the white cap is not a band member.

In the photo below right, (right to left) are Jim Galyon, Noel White, Muse Watson, Bill Wright (back to camera), Don Gullett, Ronnie Duncan, and Bobby Nelson.

It was that good music and that down home gathering of people that drew Muse Watson to the Legion Hall that last Friday back in November. He had heard about how Roane County folks still get together for some country music fellowship, and he wanted to get right in the middle of it. He, like a lot of us, feel like supporting whatever goes on in our area is the best way to keep our county alive. We have to keep that spark that makes us unique burning for the future generations.

On the left is Bill Wright with Bobby Wright (no relation).

Just imagine how it could be if Harriman had a real stage, with real lights, and a real sound system! What a night we all could have in the kinship of music and entertainment. That is exactly what is in the near future for our city and county. It will be a “sound space”, as Muse calls it, where anyone can come and record for posterity their own particular brand of music, or entertain a crowded auditorium of over 800 seats!

Our county and geographical area is just full of talent with no place to really perform at their best, or to such a large audience. The Princess Theater can be that for all of us. This is just another reason to support this effort. We need YOU to get involved, even if it’s only telling someone else about the dream! It can come true…we can do this!

Contact me at fuzzbert_1999 AT YAHOO if you want to offer your talent/s to the project, or know of area residents that have a musical or acting talent that would be perfect/appropriate for a family stage show.

SUPPORTING ROANE COUNTY MEANS MORE THAN JUST THE PRINCESS

It’s so good that so many people are supporting the Princess Project, but we can’t put all our hopes of restoring our community just into the Princess Theatre basket. We must support Harriman in everything that the cities and county does to promote its communities and businesses.

Two new businesses have opened within the last couple of months, and supporting Harriman means supporting these businesses through patronage and word-of-mouth advertising.

I don’t own a motorcycle or ATV, but I did let my friends that do know about the new store. It’s good for Harriman if “Rising Sun Cycles” (Roane Street) remains a viable business.

Oh, how I remember the old Merri-Mac Bakery and those wonderful “cream horns” Edna McNamer made. She made them for Harriman for 51 years before closing. I heard that she passed her recipe on to Mike Borman, the new owner, so I personally patronized the new “Pattycake Pastries” at 611 Queen Ave. to try them. They were as I remember! I was pleased to have met Mike as he and Kevin catered the “Parade of Christmas Trees” held in the Temperance Building last Friday and Saturday (November 27-28). Just look at those cream-horns and festive cookies!

It’s not just the businesses we need to support; it’s the special events that our communities present. Events like the “Parade of Christmas Trees”, “The Nutcracker”, the “Rockwood Christmas Tour of Homes”, the “Candy Cane Hunt” in Kingston, the “Historic Harriman Christmas Tour”, the “Colonial Christmas Candlelight Tour”, the “Santa’s Carousel Quarter Horse Show”, and “A Christmas Carol”! Never say there’s nothing to do in Roane County, just Google “Christmas Events in Roane County, TN” or CLICK HERE to read more about these and other events.

There are loads of things to do, we just have to get off our duffs and get out there and support them. Put them on your calendar today…make your holiday something special!

Touring the Temperance Building in Harriman was a pleasant surprise for Muse Watson. He insisted on showing his support for the Temperance restoration project while he was in town. He did several promo clips with Pat Mynatt; both did several pieces in one take! Pat had never done anything remotely like this, but pulled it off very professionally and seemed to enjoy showing off the building to Muse. (More photos of the Temperance Building HERE.)

The building looks beautiful to the untrained eye, but there is a lot of structural work that needs to be done, and soon. This is also a need worthy of our support.

Coming Next…Did you know there’s places to dance or listen to live music almost every night of the week in Roane County?

“ARTS IN MOTION” DANCE STUDIO WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PRINCESS RESTORATION

The good times for me this holiday began on Tuesday evening when I attended a strategy meeting with Gary Baker, Bill Landry, and Muse Watson (as outlined in the previous post). Muse was visiting his mom and sister, who live in the area, but he took some time to help out on some Princess Theater and Temperance Building promotional material. He also visited some of the area events while in town (more on that later).

After some interview shooting (Bill on Muse and Muse on Bill), Doug Mills shot some video footage at the “Arts in Motion” dance studio in nearby Kingston, Tennessee, owned and operated by Jennifer Austin. Jennifer is currently rehearsing this year’s “The Nutcracker” production, which is the largest in the state of Tennessee. The show has over 100 performers and dancers. This year’s show will be at the Roane State Auditorium; December 4^th and 5^th, 7 pm, and December 6^th at 2 pm.

The studio was packed with dancers and their families, leaving only room on the dance floor for real movement. Jennifer oversees the program, but leaves the floor direction to Lilia Valieva, formerly from Russia, but now lives in Crossville. Lilia has been in ballet for many years: Lilia graduated from the world-renowned Vaganova Ballet Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she trained for 8 years. She then joined the State Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Bashkortostan in Ufa, quickly becoming a principle dancer. In 1996, she made her United States debut with a leading role in Giselle with the Greeneville Ballet in South Carolina, and continued to dance as a principle dancer for two more years. Her principle roles include Giselle, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker, Pas de Quatre, Coppellia, Don Quixote, and many others.

Lilia, the “ballet mistress”, ran the program from the top and Jennifer brought Muse around behind the dancers and waited for a break to introduce him. After an introduction, Muse politely critiqued the rehearsal, praising the performers, but offering firm instruction on what it means to be on stage and what an audience deserves from their personal performances.

All the time, Doug Mills was filming the dancers and their mentors. Segments of his captures will be seen in future video shorts on upcoming Princess Productions stage shows.

The proposed plans for the restoration and upgrade of the Princess Theatre will include a much larger stage, one that stretches the entire width of the Princess Auditorium. There will an increase in back stage area, professional lighting and sound, as well as large “green rooms” off stage. Jennifer looks forward to the day her productions can be expanded to fit the Princess stage. She may even expand her class offerings to include the Princess facilities.

Roane County should stop and think about what Jennifer Austin, and her studio, means to our children. Think about what a venue such as a beautifully restored Princess will mean to her, her students, and to us!

I’ll tell you about the rest of this week’s excitement soon…

MUSE WATSON AND BILL LANDRY DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF THE PRINCESS

We gathered Tuesday afternoon to listen to Muse Watson and Bill Landry share their visions of the “Princess Performing Arts, Education, and Conference Center”. I have been a believer in Roane County and the Princess for a long time, but discussions like this still get me excited. I just wish I could accurately convey the “dream” that is coming true for us all.

“The new resource for Roane County will be communications,” Bill Landry tells people he meets. He understands that the Center will bring a boost to the local economy as its services get underway, but more importantly, the Center will provide an opportunity to our young people for generations to come.

The programs in arts and communications that Roane State is starting will have a “hands on” facility to enhance the classroom study. Working in a “real” radio and television studio, and producing “live” stage shows will provide our children with the confidence and experience they need to pursue careers in these areas of study. Not only will they gain professional experience in the radio and television media, they will also have had experience in sound, lighting, and stage production. It is one thing to have experience in single area of the arts, but to be able to include such a broad area on their resumes will be invaluable to them.

“We are creating a need and creating economy,” Muse told us. The Princess Center will have a need for radio and television technicians and management staff. The live shows from the new expanded stage of the Princess Theatre will need sound and lighting personnel, actors, stage and set designers, as well as producers and directors. The Princess will be a place for our young people to “sprout and grow”! They will fill jobs in the industry across the nation and more and more people will come to Roane County to study and follow their dreams.

“The Princess will become a ‘sound space’ too,” Muse pointed out. Muse recounted his first time inside the Princess Theatre, and how he began to sing “The Impossible Dream”. He could not believe the acoustics! Once again music will be performed and recorded inside the Princess. The facility will be fitted with “state of the art” sound equipment.

“There is so much musical talent in this area,” Muse continued. The Princess will be a place for young voices to hone their skills and for older folks to continue their love of music, and we, the people of Roane County, will reap the benefits of this entertainment.

“Our original commitment was to supplement our school’s education programs,” Muse said smiling, “and will see this dream come true!”

The classes that Roane State will be offering in the arts will match those third and fourth year classes at Middle Tennessee State, and other colleges. Our students will have the advantage of “first hand” experience in “live” studios and on stage.

Already many groups and organizations are expressing a desire to move their shows and productions to the Princess venue. There have been expressions of interest from churches, gospel groups, bluegrass and blues bands, Arts in Motion Dance Studio, and many festivals.

Instead of looking at the TVA grant as a blessing, many people still want to blame the Princess program for something it couldn’t help. They would have preferred the $1.7M be given to the people of Roane County. That would mean our 7,000 residents would have gotten a check for $250; enough maybe to buy a month’s worth of groceries.

So why don’t we rejoice in the endowment to our future the “Princess Performing Arts, Education, and Conference Center” will provide. The Center will continue giving back to Roane County this investment for generations to come. The event and the decision were made for us, so let’s enjoy it!

TWO MORE INTERVIEWS "IN THE CAN"!

Doug Mills cranked up his video camera Wednesday afternoon, and Bill Landry again began firing questions at two more interviewees for the next Princess Production live show.

After about an hour and a half Bill Newcomb and Gerald Largen interviews were “in the can”. These prominent Roane County attorneys have had a combined 100 years of legal experience in the area, and, therefore have a wealth of Roane County history that needs to be passed on to the youth of the county.

Although the two sit on opposite sides of the political fence, they have been long time friends and share a love of Harriman and Roane County history. Gerald lets you know right up front that he is a Democrat from Emory Gap! His blood still runs deep South Harriman “Pirate” orange, while Bill’s blood is of pure Republican blue of the “Harriman Blue Devils”! Together they are quite a feisty pair who loves to compare stories and challenge each other with “do you remember” games about Harriman. During this meeting they good naturedly argued the exact location of Harriman’s two “meat markets”!

Bill first entertained everyone present with his boyhood stories that included how the neighborhood boys always slept out on someone’s front porch during warm weather, they were “…stacked up on the porch like cord wood!”

Gerald believed that the first time he and Bill met was when Gerald was working at the Harriman Greyhound Station.

Both gentlemen also remembered their lives revolved around the theaters in Harriman growing up, and think the idea of giving the Princess Theater new life is a wonderful idea. With the combination of a TV and radio station, a 500 seat conference center, and the addition of live entertainment Downtown, the Princess Complex can only bring good things to the area.

Anyway, I don’t want to give away any of the details of their tales. Let me just say that I suggest you not miss them when they get retold at the next Princess Production live stage show. Hopefully that will come along soon. Stay tuned!

THE PRINCESS FOUNDATION HIRES FRANK SPARKMAN & ASSOCIATES

A majority forum of the Princess Theater Board of Directors passed a resolution made by Roane State President Gary Goff, stating that “The Princess Theater Foundation Board accepts Frank Sparkman as the architect of record, as well as, the design and construction manager for the Princess Complex Project.”

Frank Sparkman, of Sparkman & Associates Architects, Incorporated, presented his company’s 32 years of experience and expertise to the Princess Foundation Board Monday evening (09/28/09). Frank Sparkman has been dreaming of working on this project for nearly ten years. Since beginning working with the Foundation in 2000, his architectural firm has chalked up theater restoration experience on projects like: The Princess Theatre in South Pittsburg, TN, The Palace Theatre in Crossville, TN, and is currently working with project leaders on theater projects in McMinnville and Manchester, TN. The firm is also consulting on other theater restorations.

The Sparkman firm’s specialty is the restoration and preservation of historic buildings of all types. The Princess will be restored to its former glory, while bringing the interior up to current building and safety codes. Modernizing the Princess will be done in such a way as to preserve the historic qualities that will one day (hopefully soon) qualify the Princess Theatre to be added to National Registry of Historic Places.

Frank commented that the Princess will be the largest small town theater on which his firmed has worked. The Princess ranks in the large category because of its 900 seating capacity (400 balcony/500 ground level). The Bijou Theatre in Knoxville is only a 750 seat facility.

This resolution should put the project on fast forward, soon after the TVA donation has been received. The “check” should be turned over the Mayor Chris Mason, on behalf of the City of Harriman, in early October. Chris has stated before that he would love to see the project completed in nine months; however, with any project, there are always hidden contingencies that lengthen work time.

Nonetheless folks, we are on our way to seeing the Princess Complex dream come true in our live times!

PRINCESS FOUNDATION ACCEPTS TVA DONATION

At a majority forum of the Princess Theater Board of Directors last Monday (9/21/09) evening, the Board passed a resolution, made by Roane State President Gary Goff, stating that “The Princess Theater Foundation Board acknowledges that all money spent from TVA donations ($1.7M) will be for the renovation and upgrade of the Princess Theater Complex for arts education and cultural events within the city of Harriman.”

Other business passed Monday was a resolution to bring Frank Sparkman, of Sparkman & Associates Architects, to the next meeting of the Board. The Board has been working with Frank’s group for several years, and the Princess drawings used in our blog header, and in the sidebar, were Sparkman creations.

More from that meeting in the next blog post.

A VISIT TO THE CAPITOL THEATRE IN MARYVILLE

Gary Baker, Dr. Ahler, and I took a wet and soggy trip to Maryville Saturday to visit the Palace and Capitol Theaters. The Palace was closed, but posters outside demonstrated the use the theater is getting as a music venue.

We found the Capitol Theatre open with several people visiting their coffee and souvenir shop, milling around the lobby, and many were in the auditorium setting up for a wedding. Gary introduced himself to Benita and Heath Claiborne, owners of the Capitol, and we soon had the 50 cent tour, including the auditorium, the basement, the upstairs interactive video game and lecture room, complete with wide-screen, and Heath’s private artist studio.

Turns out Heath’s family have roots in Harriman. There once was a Claiborne’s Market in Harriman owned by his grandfather who was known locally as “Fats”. Heath comes to Harriman often to visit his roots and visit his family graves up in the old Harriman Cemetery.

He shared with us many important and key items for us to remember as we march forward with our Princess project. We will invite him down soon to discuss more of the lessons learned.

Heath mentioned that he had to replace the marquee on his theater, because the city had once forced it removed for safety reasons. However, Heath successful in getting the city to again allow the marquee, so he had it reproduced and hung, complete with LED lighting at a cost of $60K. No longer is the street dark in that area, because the cheap LED lighting permits the marquee to be lighted 24 hours a day!

The Capitol is a “for-profit” venue, and most of the revenue is from parties, reunions, weddings, live music shows, and local play productions. Of course, there is money coming in from the concessions and souvenirs, and the old balcony area permits movies, X-Box 360, Direct-TV and Pay-Per-View, Computer presentations - all on a 20ft. screen. (Check out their upcoming bookings HERE!)

I tried to capture the way they had tiered the theater auditorium floor, but the whole area is painted black, making it very difficult to photograph. Black makes it difficult for the camera to get readings, and the flash is quickly absorbed and lost. Anyway, all the theater seating has been removed and replaced with 6 to 8 table seating, making it accommodate a crowd of 350 party goers! The tables are brushed stainless (maybe aluminum), as are the two wet-bar stations, and buffet tables. The reflected LED shine on these tables and the red accent curtains makes for a beautiful social venue.

We expect to learn a lot from these “fact finding” jaunts, and it will be beneficial for us to invite the Claiborne’s, Jim Young from Crossville, Len Tucker from the Fox in Atlanta, and our good friends from South Carolina, John Coles and Mark Tiedje, down for a little Q&A.

My lesson learned for the week…don’t paint the inside of a large auditorium BLACK! This terrible for photography and I want to take a lot pictures of the new Princess Theater and at my next reunion party!

There are more venues to visit in a very short time, so there is more to come.

More photos at FLICKR.

CLASS OF 1953 REMEMBERS THE PRINCESS

When the Harriman High School Class of 1953 came to town back in August of last year to remember their good times, they did not forget the memories of the Princess Theater. Before their reunion party, they brought their memories and pompoms down to the Princess to cheer on the efforts to restore a part of their school days, and their hearts! Imagine how happy they were this week to find out that the Princess Foundation has been given $1.7M to do just that.

We would like to thank Freida Breazeal, who now resides in Marietta, GA, for the lone of these reunion photos. Although she only makes it back to Harriman a couple of times each year, she keeps up with Roane County and the Princess progress. She also never forgets to send Mayor Chris Mason and Gary Baker letters and emails of thanks, like the one printed in the previous post. She had faith and confidence in those supporters that have fought hard for the past 9 years to get the Princess, and the associated complex, fully funded.

It won't be long before the Class of '53 can have their reunions inside the Princess!

The Princess belongs to everyone, so keep cheering the work forward!

This is truly a “Legacy Moment” for the Princess!

From Jim Young in Crossville:

I have been reading some of the backlash about the funds to restore the Princess and I have to say, all you need to do is look at what the Palace Theatre did for downtown Crossville to find the benefit for Harriman. The Palace was a derelict building for many years. The total cost of the project almost 10 years ago was 1.2 million and the community auditorium was worth approximately $2 million when it was done. It stays busy much of the time now bringing a variety of local and out of town guests to Crossville. The Palace has been a boon to Crossville and the next step the city is looking at now is revitalization of the downtown area as economic development. Having been where you all are with the Palace I know the feeling! But the hard work begins now! Good luck and God Speed!

Jim Young was vice president of Downtown Crossville Inc. that spearheaded the restoration of the Palace and currently serves as Chair of the Crossville city council's Palace Advisory Board.

Muse Watson is thrilled with the good news the citizens of Roane County received about their Princess Theater Wednesday. He sends the following message:

I am so excited! When I first talked to the manager about buying the theater some 12 years ago, I was afraid the local business men who were also interested in buying it were going to try to tear it down. When we met we found that we had the same aim. To restore it. My dream went a little further, but that was because I was in the industry and had dreams of what could happen there.

I dreamed of putting on shows. A "Prairie Home Companion" meets "Hee Haw" show for Saturday night that we would film and edit and I would try to syndicate for cable or PBS. A Saturday morning, "Parents get some time" show where we have the kids learning and entertained for a couple of hours and give the parents a break and the kids learn about the arts. A Sunday morning show of Gospel music. Maybe a political discussion show where my rule would be that if either of the hosts interrupts the other…they are fired. LOL

I envision a musical instrument lending library where children who can not afford instruments to learn on get to borrow them from folks who used to play and have them at home. We maintain them and return them when the owner's ask for them, but as long as we have them we make them available to the kids.

I want to ask our public school officials to give us a wish list of things they need to take the place of arts education lost to budget cuts, and give our kids arts education again.

With our broadcast curriculum started at Roane State we will train our own television technicians. Our shows will be training grounds for our students and entertainment for the public. The tourist coming to the show may be the best economic boost we can provide the region.

There will be a conference center where we can have classes, re-unions and graduations and local groups can meet there. I would hope the Babahatchie Band would make their home there and have Tuba Christmas there at Christmastime. Our local radio and TV station will air our shows and give us a great way to communicate what is going on at the center to the public. Plus, there will be additional shows to be put on by Roane State and local talent just for the radio and TV stations. What a laboratory we will have for kids to learn about the arts thru radio and TV broadcasting.

I ask the Mayor in negotiations with the cable provider to run a fiber optic cable to their up-link to facilitate my selling the shows to cable networks and this fiber was completed this month. So we are ready to produce our shows, edit them for sale to cable and entertain and educate our public.

We have produced two shows at the Roane State Theater in our series "Tennessee's Front Porch”... and they were well received. A DVD of our last installment called "Appalachian Dreams" is being edited as we speak.

We can do this...and I hope those fans around the world will soon be able to watch what we are doing in Roane County, Tennessee... Watch for us! We can do this!

Muse Watson

http://www.musewatson.com/

From Freida Breazeal, 1953 HHS Graduate, former teacher and basketball coach (’59-’60):

This day would never have come to pass had not YOU (Chris Mason) been so totally dedicated and involved to help make it happen, Chris!!! We, as present and former residents of Harriman are indebted to you for your commitment in helping to SAVE our hometown. Words fall far short in trying to sufficiently thank you for all of the long hours, hard work and perseverance to such a noble cause.

This is indeed a happy day for not only Harriman but all of Roane County and I thank you for your personal efforts in making it a reality. Please share my gratitude with the City Council for their support and ongoing endeavors to fight for the betterment of Harriman. I have already been in touch with Gary Baker, who has been the ongoing and unrelenting catalyst to make this dream for all of us...come true. It just goes to show what focused teamwork CAN accomplish!!!

I am notifying my classmates of this wondrous good news and we will closely follow the undertaking and completion of the Arts Education and Conference Complex on Roane Street in Harriman with high interest and anticipation!!!

Freida Breazeal

(In the next mayoral election is it possible for me to obtain an absentee ballot? :) )

From Len Tucker of the Fox Theatre in Atlanta:

This is great news! I’m happy to hear that good fortune has been sent to “The Princess”. You’re right, prayer and hard work can accomplish a great deal. I hope to see the theatre someday soon.

Best Regards,

Len Tucker

http://www.foxtheatre.org/

From Mark Tiedje of the South Carolina Theatres website:

Hi J. Paul,

Thank you. This is GREAT news! We did put a small announcement on our home page to let our visitors know too. We never doubted your success for a moment. After that wonderful show “Appalachian Dreams” we knew the Harriman community had a winner. With the outstanding community spirit we observed, we knew this project had the kind of support it needed.

Congratulations to everyone involved. This is truly a “Legacy Moment.” We look forward to hearing more as developments occur. We especially look forward to returning to Harriman to see the dream realized.

All our best wishes,

www.scmovietheaters.com

THE PRINCESS FOUNDATION FOR ARTS EDUCATION GETS $1.7 MILLION

THE BEST NEWS FOR HARRIMAN IN 40+ YEARS!

The Roane County Economic Development Foundation announced today the projects that will be funded with the money TVA donated on Monday (9/14/09) for the restoration of Roane County, Tennessee.

Today (9/16/09) the Foundation announced the “approved” projects that the $43 million earmarked for Roane County economic development. Those specific projects were:

$5 million: Kingston sewer improvements

$32,000: Rockwood paving improvements

$1.7 million: Princess Theater complex renovation in Harriman

An approval for $32 million for the Roane County school system expansion is anticipated to come very soon.

The $1.7 million for the restoration of the Princess "complex" area in Downtown Harriman, could actually have been included in the promised $32 million that will be directed toward the Roane County school system, since the theater, and the two adjacent buildings, will become an Arts Education and Conferencing Center managed by Roane State Community College. However, it is important to highlight the Princess Project because this project will have a long lasting effect on the County’s educational system, and bring new life to Downtown Harriman area.

Most people think the Princess will become a “movie theater” again, which is far from the truth. True, there may be times a special movie, especially ones created by local movie makers and/or the arts departments of Roane State and the local high schools, is shown and premiered at the Princess Theater, but the truth is the primary purpose of the auditorium segment of the Arts Education and Conferencing Center “complex” (see area #3 in the photo above) will be for arts and event productions, large scale teleconferencing meetings, reunions and similar party and planning events, and live music.

Area #1 (in photo above) is slated to become a TV and radio station operated by the students of Roane State Community College. Area #2 will become part of the lobby of area #3, an area that will showcase art and memorabilia. Area #4 will be used as project related offices, teleconferencing management/control areas, and dressing areas for the various events, shows, and live music.

The result of such a “complex” will be the enhancement of arts education in the area which results in entertainment for the citizens of the area.

As Harriman Mayor Chris Mason said today, “This Princess project will have more of a positive impact on the downtown revitalization than anything else we could have done. The best thing about this project is that it will expand our youth’s education throughout the region and that is what really motivates me to keep going on this project.”

The Mayor went on to say, “Today I have the pleasure to let you know that the RC economic dev. board voted unanimously to give the Princess Foundation for Arts Education and Conference Center $1.7 million for the project. This, combined with the grant will fully finish the project and make it the most technologically advanced building in our county. It will be an extension of RSCC campus where all of our youth will be able to participate and take classes in media production, lighting, stage production, sound design etc. It will bring tourists in from out of town to watch shows on the weekend as well as be the catalyst for economic growth downtown.

I want to thank everyone that has participated in this LONG endeavor including the Harriman City Council that formally passed a resolution requesting that this project be funded. THIS IS THE BEST NEWS THAT HARRIMAN HAS HAD IN THE LAST 40+ YEARS!! This project WILL change the downtown as we currently know it and will change the lives of so many youth in our region.

The projected open date will be Summer 2010.

Thanks again…the future is bright for the City of Harriman!”

AN UPDATE FROM CHRIS MASON

Keep an eye on the storefront next to the Princess building downtown; work has begun on the Channel 15 television station that will be housed there. In the very near future students from all around Roane County including TTC and RSCC will be operating this station. You will be able to tune in Comcast Ch 15 for local information, entertainment, sports and news.

This is the first step of the Princess for Arts Education project that will positively affect so many students in our area and in my opinion redefine our downtown as we currently know it.

As Muse Watson was quoted….”We can do this!”

Stay tuned...there's more good news on the horizon!