Possibly a good thing
I don't pay Laconia taxes and I've never actually been inside the Colonial. I don't renovate theaters and I've never 'trod the boards' (outside of grade school). From the pictures I've seen, the $14 million spent on an historic hundred-year-old building are impressive. Not noticing that someone poured concrete on the stage (does Laconia require permits and inspections?) is a bit hard to understand, but the fix is certainly required and shouldn't be too expensive, $90/sheet plywood, not withstanding. Assuming the final price tag at about $15 million, that comes to $20,000 per seat (750 seats) -- a pretty hefty investment.
However, where similar rehabs have been undertaken, the results have been very good. In my memory, the Lowes Ohio Theater was less that two weeks from the wrecking ball. It was saved by a citizens group (CAPA) and totally restored to its original grandeur by a combination of private/corporate funds and government grants. Today, it's the home of the Columbus Symphony, hosts touring Broadway shows, and a variety of events. There is a waiting list. The project was so successful that CAPA has restored or built six other venues of varying sizes.
As for the Colonial, the money has been spent. Whether or not it was the right price or if it should have been done at all is entirely moot. The question now open for discussion is how best to use the theater. What attractions will be offered? How will it be promoted?
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