As a part of Missouri City’s efforts to revitalize Texas Parkway and attract future businesses, the former Premier 6 Cinema is being repurposed to become the city’s first-ever performing arts center.

Construction on the Edison Performing Arts Center, at 2420 Texas Parkway, Missouri City, is expected to begin this fall. Once complete, the venue will feature various seasonal cultural events aimed at attracting residents.

Construction is slated to last six to eight months and is headed by Troy and Charity Carter, owners of the Fort Bend Academy of Arts and Dance. Charity said once the Edison Performing Arts Center is complete, the venue will have more than 6,000-square-feet of dance studio space and the capacity to seat approximately 300 guests in the theater.

“This location is in the midst of a multicultural and diverse community, which would allow us to draw in different cultural events with a larger demographic and age range,” Charity Carter said. “These current demographics currently have to travel out of the city of cultural events and fine arts experiences.”

The new performing arts center will also be the new home for the Fort Bend Academy of Arts and Dance. Charity Carter said the academy offers afterschool programs, martial arts classes and fitness classes. The academy would be able to expand its programs and offer additional fine art programs once the new center opens.

Missouri City City Council unanimously approved the theater’s renovation during its March 16 meeting. Mayor Allen Owen said the repurposing of the former theater will act as an anchor to spur future economic growth along the Texas Parkway corridor.

“We are looking forward to the Cinema 6 Redevelopment Project and the transformation of the former movie theater into a premier performing arts venue, which will attract other business to the area,” he said.