Fundraising campaign for East Van’s Rio Theatre underway
Posted February 26, 2018 7:47 pm.
Last Updated February 26, 2018 7:48 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The campaign to save East Vancouver’s Rio Theatre is officially underway.
The current operators of the site launched an online fundraiser today, and need to raise $1.5 million in a little over a month. They need $3 million total but are hoping to get the other half from private investors.
Corrine Lea is the operator of the Rio, and a few weeks ago, she and her business partner put forward a bid to buy the theatre. It was accepted, however, they still have to actually raise the money.
So, they’ve turned to the crowd-funding website indegogo.com and Lea says they’re hoping people will check it out.
“We’ve created a whole list of perks that people can choose, or people can just donate an amount that they want to.”
One of those perks are tickets to a VIP show with film director Kevin Smith, of Clerks and Mallrats fame; however, Smith suffered a massive heart attack earlier this week and is recovering.
“He seemed to be in good spirits and good condition considering what he went through. We’re optimistic that he may be able to keep this date,” she says, adding if he needs more time for his health, they’ll reschedule.
