On Tuesday, Sarasota Orchestra completed its purchase of the 32-acre parcel at 5701 Fruitville Road, reaching a significant milestone in the journey to build a new Music Center. With ownership of the land and county approval to build the Music Center’s concert hall at the desired height to optimize acoustics, Sarasota Orchestra can now move forward with planning to realize a transformative vision nearly 10 years in the making. The Orchestra expects to finalize its Music Center project scope and timeline later this year, following the completion of a fundraising feasibility study, which is underway and will continue through mid-2023. Aspirational plans for the Music Center include an 1,800-seat concert hall built specifically to showcase acoustic music – one of only four in Florida and the first on Florida’s Gulf Coast – as well as a 700-seat flexible-use performance space, multiple rehearsal and practice rooms, music storage and office space. These facilities will serve as important resources for the Orchestra and many of the nearly 30 peer organizations that also face challenges in securing performance and rehearsal dates due to the limitations of the region’s existing arts and cultural infrastructure. The new Music Center will also provide expanded space and increased opportunities for the growth of Sarasota Orchestra’s youth education programs.