PAC Hosts Grand Opening for New Performing Arts Center

PAC Hosts Grand Opening for New Performing Arts Center

Amid cultural pageantry replete with mariachi music by world renowned Campanas de America, local and state politicians, and students, Palo Alto College held a grand opening for its new $20.4 million multi-faceted Performing Arts Center, Aug. 19.

Mayor Julián Castro joined college president Dr. Ana M. “Cha” Guzmán, and Alamo Colleges Chancellor, Dr. Bruce Leslie in a ribbon cutting ceremony that officially opened the doors to a spectacular 400-seat theater.

Along with the theater, the 46,243 square-feet building also contains a dance studio, recording studio, recital hall, computer lab, drama classroom, scene shop and speech classrooms.

“This Center will serve as an artistic window for the Southside, as well as a shining place to show our culture,” said Dr. Guzmán. Foreshadowing events to come, the drama, music and dance departments staged condensed performances in different locations throughout the Center, showcasing a variety of ways performances can be held there. 

 The Performing Arts Center is one of several new construction and renovation projects currently underway at PAC as a result of the 2005 Bexar County bond election that approved $450 million for the physical expansion of the Alamo Colleges. PAC’s share of the bond allotment was $55 million.

Palo Alto College is a fully accredited college located on the Southside, and awards associate degrees, short-term certificates and offers non-credit continuing education classes.  The campus is located at 1400 W. Villaret Blvd. at I-410 South and Texas Hwy. 16 or online at www.alamo.edu/pac.