Emily Frankoski
The Latest from the Cornell Complex
The Latest from the Cornell Complex
Emily Frankoski
The Latest from the Cornell Complex
The Latest from the Cornell Complex
Emily Frankoski
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Groundbreaking Ceremony
Emily Frankoski
Matching Gift Challenge for New Donors!
Matching Gift Challenge for New Donors!
Emily Frankoski
Save The Date: Groundbreaking Ceremony
Save The Date: Groundbreaking Ceremony

Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex

Groundbreaking Ceremony

Representatives of the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex, Connect2Culture, and Spiva Center for the Arts, alongside approximately 125 community members, gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of The Cornell Complex on February 1, 2021. After remarks from project leaders, attendees stood socially distanced outlining a spray-painted footprint of the soon-to-be Complex. Pompoms waved, a drone flew overhead, and all counted down in anticipation of this long-awaited milestone. Thank you to all who came! Relive the special moment with our official groundbreaking ceremony video below.

Enjoy photos from this monumental day:

In addition to the groundbreaking, a new matching gift challenge for new donors was announced. Several anonymous donors have joined forced to provide a dollar-for-dollar match up to a maximum amount of $150,000. Click here to learn more (deadline for commitments is June 20, 2021).

To date, a total of 277 individuals, businesses, foundations, and community organizations have committed $16,367,545 – over 93% of the expanded $17.5 million goal.

Matching Gift Challenge for New Donors!

The Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex board of directors is pleased to announce a new matching gift challenge! Several anonymous donors have joined forces to provide a dollar-for-dollar match up to a maximum amount of $150,000. Specifics are as follows:

  • Donor must be a completely new contributor to The Cornell Complex.

  • Commitment must be communicated before June 30, 2021.

  • Commitment must fall within the range of $2,500 to $12,500 to qualify for matching funds. Gifts of this size will then result in recognitions from $5,000 to $25,000. Donors will be recognized on the Donor Wall and may be eligible to reserve a specific naming opportunity within the Complex on a first come, first served basis.

  • Commitment must be completed in full by December 31, 2022.

See below for links to the official gift form, a listing of the most current naming opportunities, as well as our recently updated presentation book.

Inquiries may be made to Clifford Wert, The Cornell Complex Treasurer, by email (clifford@connect2culture.org) or by phone (417-439-0385).

Save The Date: Groundbreaking Ceremony

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex will be held Monday, February 1, 2021, 1:00pm at the Complex site (212 West 7th Street, Joplin, MO 64801). In the case of inclement weather, the groundbreaking ceremony will take place Tuesday, February 2, 2021.

CC-Groundbreaking-Graphic.png

Representatives of The Cornell Complex, Connect2Culture, and Spiva Center for the Arts will be on hand, as well as project architects and the construction manager.

Architects for the project are DLR Group/Westlake Reed Leskosky of New York City, NY, and Corner Greer & Associates of Joplin, MO. The Construction Manager for the project is Crossland Construction Company headquartered in Columbus, KS.

All those in attendance are asked to wear face masks and observe social distancing practices (6 feet between themselves and other parties present).

The Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex will be a visual and performing arts center that educates, enlightens, and entertains while attracting more people and activities to downtown Joplin. The multifunctional Complex will include a 470-seat highly adaptable performance hall with theatrical seating that can be converted into a flat floor configuration, a shared stage for both indoor and outdoor performances, new and expanded gallery spaces for Spiva Center for the Arts, an outdoor amphitheater/festival plaza with capacity to host 2,000 people, rooftop venues, potential office space for arts and cultural organizations, and more. Connect2Culture will manage all performance venues, while Spiva Center for the Arts will manage gallery and classroom spaces. It is anticipated that the Complex will be open to the public in late 2022.

We hope to see you there! Feel free to let us know you’re coming via the Facebook event page.

While you’re here, check out a variety of new interior/exterior renderings or our recently updated presentation book.

$15.8 Million Pledged

An update and media briefing pertaining to the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex (The Cornell Complex) was held Monday, January 27, 11:00am at Spiva Center for the Arts (222 West 3rd St, Joplin, MO 64801).

An exciting new total of funding commitments were shared, as well as an updated timeline and information pertaining to the governance of the Complex. A 3-D printed model of the most current rendering, and how it compares to the surrounding area, was on display.

It was announced that a total of $15.8 million in commitments have been received from 248 individuals, businesses, foundations, and organizations. This is 98.7% of the $16 million goal for the project. This new total is a $1,142,000 increase from the amount revealed at the Launch Party held in June 2019 that ultimately secured the land for the project.

“We are definitely going to build The Cornell Complex within our budget and manage the process as we continue our capital campaign,” stated Clifford Wert, President & CFO, Connect2Culture.

The Cornell Complex will be a major new destination in downtown Joplin that will enhance quality of life and create a gathering place for citizens, area residents, and visitors.

The multifunctional Cornell Complex will consist of a 450-475 seat performance hall, new and expanded gallery spaces for Spiva Center for the Arts, an outdoor amphitheater/festival plaza with an updated capacity for 1,500-2,000 people, rooftop venues, and more. Connect2Culture will manage all performance venues, while Spiva will manage gallery and classroom spaces. New interior plans consist of a shared stage for both indoor and outdoor performances. Plans also include potential office space for arts and cultural organizations, in addition to those of Connect2Culture and Spiva Center for the Arts.

The Capital Campaign Committee for The Cornell Complex has now challenged itself to seek a new grand total of $17.5 million in commitments to further enhance the Complex. Enhancements may include: a canopy for the amphitheater, outdoor interactive water feature, sculptures throughout the grounds, orchestra shell, a marley floor for dance performances, and additional offices for local arts and cultural organizations.

“Opportunity now exists for more supporters to join and make The Cornell Complex an even greater facility for this community,” said Wert. “The more we raise, the more of these enhancements we can provide.”

The timeline for the project is on schedule with groundbreaking planned for late 2020. The Complex will open to the public in Fall 2022. As previously announced, architects for the project are DLR Group/Westlake Reed Leskosky of New York City, NY and Corner Greer & Associates of Joplin, MO. The Construction Manager for the project is Crossland Construction Company headquartered in Columbus, KS.

In addition, it was announced that effective August 5, 2019, the Harry M. Cornell Arts & Entertainment Complex was incorporated under the State of Missouri Nonprofit Corporation Act. The board of the corporation consists of nine members. The three members representing Connect2Culture include Clifford Wert, Troy Hill, and Anne Curchin. The three members representing Spiva Center for the Arts include Annette Thurston, Steve Graddy, and Angela Austin Vorhees. Sharon Beshore is the Cornell/Beshore family designee. Two independent members include Dr. Ronald Lankford and Laurie Delano. Officers are Sharon Beshore as President, Annette Thurston as Secretary, and Clifford Wert as Treasurer. The Cornell Complex is in the process of obtaining its 501c3 designation from the Internal Revenue Service.