The state has allocated $500,000 for the Town of Jonesborough to purchase the Jackson Theatre in the 2013-14 budget, state Sen. Rusty Crowe announced today in a news release.
Tenn. Gov. Bill Haslam had proposed $100,000 in his original budget for this project, but later added another $400,000 to his original proposal in a supplemental amendment offered in the state Senate's Finance Committee this morning.
“I am so proud of our Jonesborough leadership for working with Governor Haslam and Lt. Governor (Ron) Ramsey to make this project a reality," Crowe said in a news release. "Renovation and construction means so much to Jonesborough tourism and the arts, much like the Paramount Theatre in Bristol and the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Va. has done for their communities."
Crowe lauded Jonesborough Mayor Kelly Wolfe and the town's staff for their work on the project.
"Thank goodness Gov. Haslam was able to capture their vision and the potential it offers for Jonesborough, Tennessee’s oldest town," Crowe said. “I look forward to attending the first production in our new Jackson Theatre.”
State Rep. Matthew Hill (R-Jonesborough) also announced that the allocation had been submitted to the state House.
“I am extremely pleased that Governor Haslam has decided to fund this important project in this year’s budget,” Hill said in a news release. “The Jackson Theatre is an integral part of downtown Jonesborough and this money will go a long way towards renovating this historic piece of our community that has been around since the 1920s.”
According to “The History of Washington County, Tennessee," the Jackson opened as "the Blue Mouse" in the late 1920’s showing silent movies.
Keep visiting JohnsonCityPress.com for more on this developing story.