Letter: We do not need new arts campus

The committee studying an arts campus on Hilton Head Island has invited input from the public at a meeting on Aug. 4. Apparently they have already concluded that an arts campus should be built as they are planning a report on how the venue should look and operate, not on whether one should be built. I cannot attend the meeting but I want to make my views known.

The evidence is clear that there is no way an arts campus could support itself. It would be a burden on the taxpayers of Hilton Head and Beaufort County. One only needs to look at the history of the existing arts center, which has bled money throughout its existence.

Moreover, the arts are thriving on Hilton Head, and in Bluffton and Beaufort. There are bountiful choices to pick from: concerts, theatrical performances, festivals, fireworks, museums, air shows and more are always available if residents and visitors want a break from our fabulous beaches, bike paths, golf courses, tennis centers, fishing, dolphin cruises, historic sites and excellent restaurants.

We do not need a new, large arts campus.

Hilton Head has achieved a balance between development and nature. Do not pave 40 acres for parking that an arts campus would require. Do not even think of taking the beauty of Honey Horn from us to use for an arts campus.

We do not want an arts campus, we do not need it, it is economically infeasible and it would dramatically alter the character of Hilton Head.

This story was originally published July 28, 2016 at 3:45 PM with the headline "Letter: We do not need new arts campus."