North Carolina’s House of Representatives has started reviewing legislation that includes a $42.2 million request for renovating the Stevens Center in downtown Winston-Salem, though it is unclear whether the Senate will go along with the proposal.
The proposed allocations also includes $25.4 million toward the renovation project for Wey Hall at Appalachian State University and $15.1 million toward the renovation and expansion project for Hauser Building at Winston-Salem State University, The Winston-Salem Journal reports.
The budget also includes a $5.2 million appropriation for the Forsyth County Veterans Home from the state Department of Military and Veteran Affairs Department.
The Stevens Center funding for 2019-20 is in House Bill 494, which cleared a House education committee April 16. In each case, the money would remain available through June 30, 2023.
The bill still must clear another three House committees before being voted on by the full House, the newspaper reports.
The bill’s fate is uncertain in the N.C. Senate, given that previous similar bills did not advance in that chamber. A companion Senate Bill 238 has not been heard in committee.
The UNC School of the Arts owns the 77,500-sq. ft. Stevens Center. In September 2017, the board of trustees approved a concept master renovation plan.
Construction and other items, including furnishings, new rigging systems, lighting and audio/visual equipment were projected at that time to cost $35.2 million.