Local officials said they hope the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in downtown Bowling Green and Western’s historic Van Meter Hall will boost the area’s arts programs.

SKyPAC Project Director Mary Carpenter said the center will work with Van Meter and a similar facility in Owensboro to schedule performers in succession when possible to cut costs.

“The more shows there are for a performer in an area, the more likely he is to cut his own costs to perform there,” she said.

The SKyPAC broke ground for construction earlier this month. It is planned to be part of the city’s Tax Increment Financing district, which gives businesses tax incentives to open downtown.

Carpenter said the goal for the 1,800-seat facility, planned to open in the summer of 2011, is to play to sell-out crowds in its first season.

She said SKyPAC’s ultimate goal is “to bring art to the community. We want to educate everyone on the importance and influence of art in everyday life.”

Van Meter is undergoing renovations that will be completed in January, Project Manager Kerra Ogden said.

She said Van Meter, which seats about 1,100 people, will get new lighting, electrical and plumbing systems in addition to improved seating and bigger and better facilities for the performers.

“We gutted the building,” Ogden said.

Jeff Younglove, director of campus and community events, said Van Meter is expected to open to the public by April 2010.

Van Meter allows student and public involvement, giving it a different priority and clientele than SKyPAC, he said.

“Obviously a full house would be great, but realistically, I would say that since 500 to 600 fills the bottom area of seating, that would be good depending on the event,” he said. “They’ll be catering to a larger audience.”

Younglove said he has no concerns about competition between SKyPAC and Van Meter.

“We expect to work with SKyPAC on various issues, like if we’re booked on a date someone wants to perform, we would tell them about SKyPAC and send them their way, that kind of thing,” Younglove said.

Younglove said he doubted performers would want to play the same city twice but was open to accommodating those who wanted to.

Carpenter said she wants multiple show and musical styles represented at SKyPAC, including Broadway shows and concerts of all types.

She said she expects to work with Van Meter, but there may sometimes be scheduling conflicts.

“I’m sure we’ll work together, but there might be times when we have a show that was the only time we could schedule it and Van Meter has a performance scheduled for the same night, but we’ll try to work that out if there are conflicts,” she said.