A feasibility study on the future Renaissance Stage, completed by RJA Engineering in Madisonville, was recently returned to the Cadiz-Trigg County 2025-26 Leadership Class, and its findings were shared at Tuesday’s Cadiz City Council meeting.
The 23-page document weighed the pros and cons of two locations — its original spot at 68 Main Street, next to the Cadiz Baptist Annex, and another space, 21 Spring Street, next to the Cadiz-Trigg County Farmers Market Pavilion — and in the end, it was determined that 21 Spring Street would be the most beneficial to the community.
And for a number of reasons.
Jamie Gapp, one of several leadership class representatives, said it’s pretty clear what’s best — and that a better survey of a selected site will then help determine the best design.
The study used 11 criteria to make the determination: zoning compatibility, geotechnical work, historic overlay, orientation and sightlines, restroom provisions, adjacent amenities, accessibility, utilities, permitting complexity, future expansion, and estimated total project cost.
For 68 Main Street, its strengths include its proximity to B1 Central Business Zoning, a favorable northeast orientation, available water/sewer/electrical connections and potential for a terraced amphitheater. Its major drawbacks, however, include a major need for mitigated site work, the construction of public bathrooms, difficult site permitting, and an estimated cost of more than $600,000.
For 21 Spring Street, its strengths include its proximity to B2 General Business Zoning, an existing slab that’s reusable, an unaffected historic overlay, a favorable north-to-northeast orientation, existing bathrooms at the farmers market, the potential for a massive event space alongside said farmers market, established utilities near a pumping station, fewer permitting issues and an estimated cost of $400,000-to-$550,000.
The preferred conceptual design is a 20-foot by 50-foot structure with a shallow-arch steel canopy, a wooden tongue-and-groove ceiling and a glulam, or glued laminated timber, arch.
Recommended next steps involve:
+ confirmed site control and easements near 21 Spring Street, as well as verified property ownership through the PVA
+ verified zoning, accessibility, and utility conditions with Cadiz-Trigg County Planning & Zoning
+ assessed historic-overlay implications at 68 Main Street, if that location remains in any discussions
+ advanced a conceptual design into a desired direction
+ developed a fundraising and phasing strategy for the construction and possible naming rights
+ and proceeding into a schematic design following city authorization for its build.
Councilman Todd Wallace said there could be unique funding opportunities, as well.
Gapp said further conversations with the Trigg County Fiscal Court and Cadiz-Trigg County Tourism are also on the calendar for this fall.
