Remodel Nearly Complete at Alberta Bair [PICS]

The massive remodel of Billings Alberta Bair Theater is nearing completion. We stopped by for a tour this week to check out the progress and let me assure you... it's going to be a pretty incredible venue when the doors re-open. The $13.6 million dollar revamp (of which $13 million has already been raised) is much more than a facelift. A small sample of upgrades include: ADA compliance, new rigging and trussing for lights and speakers, new audio and video control booths, new bathrooms, an elevator, and more.

Construction is on track to be done by mid-July, about a month ahead of schedule. While the facility will be complete, thanks to COVID-19, it doesn't sound like events will be happening this year. Concerts that were scheduled for later this summer/fall have already been rescheduled to next year.

Jody Grant, ABT Programming and Marketing Director told us with so many restrictions in place regarding social distancing it makes it nearly impossible to open under these conditions. She said the venue is following a 31-page guideline from the Event Safety Alliance (a trade organization committed to safely re-opening venues and events) which means even if they did open this summer, with the guidelines required to host an event, the logistics and financial numbers just don't work out. Bummer. In the meantime, let's take a look inside the almost-completed Alberta Bair Theater remodel.

We can't wait to see a show - even if that means waiting until next year - at the new Alberta Bair Theater. Events there have always been fantastic and the upgrades will make for an even better concert experience.