Jones Hall celebrates 60 years, renovation completion

Jones Hall for the Performing Arts celebrated its 60th anniversary and the completion of the venue’s first full-scale renovation. 

The gist

Leaders with Houston First, the city of Houston and Houston’s theater district gathered at Jones Hall on Oct. 5 for a tour of the newly renovated theater. Improvements include: 

• New seating and aisles

• Reimagined lobby

• New elevators 

• Increased bathroom facilities 

• Expanded green room 

Improvements also feature technical and infrastructure renovations backstage, including new, modernized stage automation controls. 

“These improvements represent something much larger than a renovation—they represent a commitment to the future,” said Michael Heckman, president and CEO of Houston First Corporation. 

Other details

Jones Hall is home to the Houston Symphony and host to other performing arts events. It was founded in 1966 and is named after Jesse Jones, a philanthropist and politician from Tennessee who moved to Houston as an adult. 

Renovations cost over $67 million, according to city officials.