Proposed development includes transportation terminal

The Woodlands is already home to one of the world's most popular live music venues, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, and now another large-scale performing arts center could soon be on its way. Plans are in the works to build a $35 million performing arts venue along The Woodlands Waterway that would host a variety of Broadway-style theater productions.

The project is headed up by The Woodlands founder and principal developer George Mitchell and The Goodman Corporation, a development company that specializes in transit projects.

"George and his wife, Cynthia, have had a dream for many years of developing a performing arts theater in The Woodlands, and there have been various plans to accomplish that objective for 20 years," said Barry Goodman, founder and president of The Goodman Corporation.

Project proposal

Goodman said that Mitchell and The Goodman Corporation have submitted a formal proposal to The Howard Hughes Corporation, which owns The Woodlands, The Woodlands Development Company and is the primary land developer in the community. The proposal calls for Mitchell's purchase of a two acre site just south of the Pavilion along The Woodlands Waterway for a venue that could seat up to 1,800.

The timing of the proposal and the interest in the venue have been key components in the current stage of development for the facility. Goodman said the performing arts center could be part of a larger project that includes a transit terminal and the expansion of the existing Pavilion parking garage on Six Pines Drive.

"There have been two major ingredients that have recreated resurgent interest [in the performing arts center] on the part of several stake holders, [such as] the township and the land development company," Goodman said. "One is the availability of federal funds to build a new transit terminal along the corridor just west of the current convention center and Pavilion, and a parking garage for weekend and evening events. And the second is availability of a piece of property owned by the land development company."

The proposed transit center is being planned as a transportation hub for The Woodlands.

"[The transit center] will be an interface between localized transit and existing and future expansion of the trolley services and regional transit from The Woodlands to the Medical Center, downtown [Houston] and the Galleria and parking for those who want to use the transit system," Goodman said.

The transit facility would also enable "support commute services," he said, for Houston residents who work in The Woodlands.

Goodman gave no time frame regarding a possible start or completion date on the performing arts center, but said that the probability of the development coming to fruition is likely contingent on the land sale.

"I think the probability is greatly enhanced if there is an agreement between the Mitchell group and the Howard Hughes Corporation on the proposed land acquisition," Goodman said. "If that can occur the chances are better than even that it could happen."

"If the land transaction does not go through, it's less likely to happen," Goodman said. "If you don't have Mitchell behind this, in my opinion, I don't know how else you can raise the money."

Both The Howard Hughes Corporation and The Woodlands Development Company are remaining tight-lipped about the proposal. Grant Herlitz, president of The Howard Hughes Corporation, declined to comment on the development and representatives from The Woodlands Development Company opted not to discuss specifics on the project.

"Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell's admiration for the arts has been invaluable to the development of The Woodlands," said Tim Welbes, co-president of The Woodlands Development Company. "For many years, there have been discussions about a performing arts theater and those discussions continue. It would be premature to elaborate on these discussions at this time."

However, new development, and development at quickened pace, in Town Center was initially cited by Herlitz as a primary focus of The Howard Hughes Corporation shortly after its acquisition of The Woodlands in July.

"We'll hopefully accelerate the plan to complete The Woodlands community, particularly with additional construction in the Town Center," Herlitz said in August.

Interest in venue

Goodman said interest from the performing arts community in the project has been high and that initial plans called for the venue to have 400–500 seats. He said with the feedback Mitchell and the Goodman Corporation have received about the proposed venue, plans were re-drawn to include up to 1,800 seats.

Phillip Duggins, artistic director for the Masquerade Theater in Houston, said the demand among the theater community for such a venue would be strong.

"We would have an extreme interest in that," Duggins said. "We're already trying to work out deals with The Grand in Galveston. We're always looking for other venues."

Masquerade Theater's current home is the Hobby Center. The theater puts on five main stage shows per year and, combined with the theater's other programs, produces about 20 shows per year—shows similar to ones that would be hosted by a performing arts center in The Woodlands.

Performing arts

The arts have long been a passion for Mitchell and his late wife, Cynthia, for whom the Pavilion is named. Mitchell developed and opened The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in April of 1990.

The concert industry's leading trade publication, "Pollstar," listed The Woodlands Pavilion as the fifth most popular live music venue in terms of ticket sales in the world in 2011 with 277,099 tickets sold. The Pavilion is also the summer home of the Houston Symphony and hosts performances by the Houston Ballet.

"Mr. Mitchell and his wife, Cynthia, they have been visionaries in many areas, especially in cultural arts," said Bruce Tough, chairman of The Woodlands Township Board of Directors. "The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is an example of that vision and that venue has had a significant economic impact in the development of The Woodlands. To continue that vision with another cultural arts venue would just enhance what we have now."