Image courtesy Visit Sarasota.

The future of the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall now has its namesake family doing legal battle with Sarasota city officials. Family for Eugenia and Lewis Van Wezel sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding the family name will no longer be used to promote a new performing arts hall.

Tony and Ketherine Stone, the grandchildren of the Van Wezels, sent a letter to attorneys representing the City of Sarasota and the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation. The letter references plans for a state-of-the-art venue and fundraising efforts to build the new facility.

“Significantly, this new Center will be in lieu of the existing Van Wezel Hall, the future of which is to be decided separately by the City,” wrote attorney Morgan Bentley, the Stones’ attorney.

The Van Wezel originally finished construction in 1969, funded by a bond referendum for the city and by a donation from the Van Wezels, local philanthropists. Its future has been arguably the most controversial aspect of redevelopment of Sarasota’s cultural district on public land as part of The Bay plan. 

The redevelopment of the public space includes a replacement venue for the Van Wezel, and the future of the “Purple Cow,” long the choice venue for traveling Broadway shows and major performances, remains unclear.

The Van Wezel Foundation in 2019 formally changed its name to the Sarasota Performing Arts Center Foundation as it shifted focus to raising funds for the new venue. But Bentley’s letter says promotional material, including some raising money for the new venue, have continued to use the foundation’s old name.

While the name of the foundation has been legally changed in public financial disclosures, a Google search for the foundation’s name still directs internet users to vwfoundation.org.

“The Foundation website has still not been changed to reflect the new name of the Foundation,” the letter says. As of Sunday, the website still identified the organization as the “Van Wezel Foundation: A vision for Sarasota Performing Arts Center.” The organization also still maintains the Van Wezel branding on social media on Twitter and Facebook.

“The mission of the Van Wezel Foundation is to create and sustain a vibrant performing arts center, advance education, and enrich communities by inspiring minds through the power of the arts,” the website lists as the organization’s mission statement.

The final slight for the Van Wezel heirs appears to have been a Dec. 17 signed by city and foundation leaders criticizing the Keep The Van Wezel group advocating against construction of a new venue. The city letter was signed Mayor Kyle Battie, City Manager Marlon Brown, Foundation Chair Jim Travers, Foundation CEO Cheryl Mendelson and Van Wezel Hall Executive Director Mary Bensel.

“We all agree that Sarasota needs and deserves a new, state-of-the-art performing arts center in the Bay Park and the current Van Wezel Hall cannot be upgraded to meet the needs of the ever-growing community’s demands,” the letter reads. “At no time has the City, the Hall or the Foundation suggested that the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall be torn down. Do not be misled by this false information.”

The letter is now placed prominently on the city website for the Van Wezel Hall.

Image courtesy Visit Sarasota.