The Mason Arts Council needs to raise $13 million to build a regional performing arts center on 16 acres the city donated along State Route 741 and US 42.

The nonprofit plans to launch its public fundraising campaign in early 2027, as WCPO 9 first reported Thursday, Sept. 24. Advisory committees will begin meeting Thursday, Oct. 1 to prepare for the campaign.

The $13 million price tag is part of the council's agreement with the city of Mason, which requires the group to raise private capital for construction. No local tax dollars would fund the project.

Mason Arts Council President Karen Kilgore said the center would fill a gap in a city known for its parks, recreation and sports facilities.

"Mason is so advanced for so many things. We have sports. We have recreation. We have aquatic centers. We have parks … but the one thing we really cannot offer is a venue for arts of any kind," Kilgore said at a Sept. 24 event in Mason.

Local theater companies have no dedicated performance space outside Mason High School, according to Kilgore.

The Mason City Council passed a unanimous resolution supporting the arts council's vision on Dec. 14, 2020. At that time, plans called for a 1,000-seat main theater and a 400-seat smaller theater in the first phase, with a visual arts center to follow. Whether those specifications remain current is unclear.

The council formed in 2019 under its first president, Tom Huff. Kilgore has since taken over leadership in his honor.

Progress has been steady in recent months. On June 23, 2025, the arts council held a sign unveiling at the future site, 4201 North Route 42, alongside Mayor Diana Nelson, City Manager Eric Hansen and several council members. By October 2025, the board had raised a $60,000 deposit among its own members and hired a fundraising firm, according to a city council committee update.

The fundraising is planned in phases. Phase 1 focuses on developing a master plan and preparing construction bid documents.

Ian Gregory Hill, an alumnus of Royale Theatre Company, spoke at the Sept. 24 event about what theater meant to him growing up.

No groundbreaking date or construction timeline has been announced. The advisory committees represent the next public milestone before the early 2027 fundraising launch.