Basalt has approved almost a million dollars to go toward construction of The Contemporary, a new performing arts venue in Willits.
The money comes from a real-estate transfer tax on sales in Willits. Last week, council freed up those funds for The Arts Campus at Willits, or TACAW, to use in building the new venue.
TACAW lost its lease on its former Willits performing arts space, the Temporary, earlier this year. Town manager Ryan Mahoney says that businesses in Willits have taken a hit after that closure.
TACAW still needs to get a building permit and show they have the rest of the $4.9 million needed to build the new facility in order to receive the funds.
Construction of The Contemporary is scheduled to start by the end of the year.
