State Representative John Carey (R-Wellston) has announced that the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission granted the reimbursement of $100,000 used for the installation of a new elevator at the Ariel Theatre in Gallipolis, Ohio in September 2009.

Since its construction in 1895, Ariel Theatre has been an opera house and a meeting place for the community of Gallipolis. More recently, it has housed musical and theatrical arts and programs. A facility analysis in 2005 identified the need for an updated elevator to be built inside the theatre. The elevator was installed in 2009 for $138,139.

“I believe the Ariel-Dater Theatre is an important part of the effort to strengthen our region,” Carey said. “I am hoping that with the Ariel-Dater Theatre and others being developed in the region, we can attract more tourism dollars to our state, which means jobs.”

The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission is a state agency that oversees capital improvement funds appropriated for planning, construction, renovation and expansion projects at Ohio’s theaters, museums, arts education facilities, historical sites and publicly-owned professional sports venues.