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KANAPOLIS — Entertainment options around Kannapolis are expanding this fall, thanks to the restoration of a historic venue.
The team behind the revamp of the Swani Theatre announced that they are preparing for a soft opening this September, before the official grand opening on November 1.
The theater has gone through quite a few iterations since it was first completed in 1940. Originally used as a movie theater until 1971, the venue subsequently transitioned to other community uses before being renovated in the 1990s to make it a hub for community visitors and training.
However, in the 2010s, the building was vacant and its future plans remained unclear.
Joining the development team, Ken Lingafelt, along with Kent Gregory, acquired ownership of the Swanee Theatre through their group West Avenue Entertainment, LLC.
Lingafelt and manager Macy Burleyson have invested time and energy in bringing the old theatre back to life, and as construction on the inside of the facility is almost complete, new details about future plans have emerged.
One of the highlights of the venue will be the introduction of an iHeart Radio recording station on the first floor of the facility.
Lingafelt also ensures that the interior aesthetics of historic buildings can be used in other ways. The rooms have been well-designed for the bride and groom’s wedding party, and the main auditorium is now outfitted for weddings.
On the main floor, a bar is under construction, which will be where the concession and ticket booth once stood.
These are all interesting elements of Swanee, but Lingafelt’s main focus has always been the main concert hall where the cinema used to be.
Inside, the walls of the theatre have been preserved, capturing the acoustics from the bands playing below. Rose-coloured curtains will further dampen the noise, new chandeliers have been installed in the ceiling and a specially designed sound room has been erected, all complementing an impressive main stage front and centre.
Lingafelt said he envisions all types of musical performances coming to Swane, from gospel to southern rock, with plenty of options in between.
Located in the heart of the West Block, where Lingafelt and his team played such an important role in the development, Swanee is the perfect complement to the community’s current entertainment options.
He noted that weekend visitors to the area can watch a baseball game in the afternoon, catch a show in the early evening, and then end their night with dinner or a drink at a nearby venue across the street, stressing the need for this in the area. A venue for the growth stage.
Of course, while development is always an important consideration for developers, Lingafelt, also from Kannapolis, is more than happy to remember the roots of the site and be involved in its restoration and maintenance.
Installing a marquee in front of the venue similar to the one that used to sit outside Swanee in the mid-20th century is about to begin. In addition to that, Lingafelt is considering some old trailers, commercials and movies that were popular in theaters decades ago.
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