GRAND TETON VISITOR CENTER AUDITORIUM BREAKS GROUND

Grand Teton National Park Foundation, the primary fundraising partner for Grand Teton National Park, brought Mary Gibson Scott, NPS acting regional director, key park staff, and Foundation board members together for a groundbreaking ceremony on June 17 to mark the official start of construction for the auditorium addition.  The 3,600-square-foot, 154-seat auditorium will complete the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center and is scheduled to open in spring 2011. 

The high-tech addition, designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson and built by Raass Brothers, Inc., and R&O Construction, will expand upon existing visitor center exhibits and host a regularly scheduled documentary film produced by Discovery Communications, Inc. that features the  park’s natural resources and its history as well as notable conservationists who played a role in the park’s creation.  A wall of windows, hidden behind a theatrical curtain and a retractable screen, will reveal the Teton Range at the completion of the film.  State-of-the-art systems and the unique backdrop will make the space ideal for hosting lectures or special events and conferences. 

“We wouldn’t be standing here today without the help of many generous donors,” Foundation President Leslie Mattson said.  “The construction crew has defined the boundaries of the auditorium and now I have context.  I’m beginning to really grasp what it will feel like to sit here and appreciate the same view the audience will see.”  The Foundation is funding the structure in its entirety through donor gifts, and the three-year fundraising campaign is coming to a close. 

“The auditorium addition will provide a welcome arena in which to showcase special presentations that educate, inspire, and awe our park visitors,” Acting Regional Director Mary Gibson Scott said. “We’re anxious to realize the original vision for the Discovery Center, and we appreciate the significant fundraising efforts of the Foundation in getting us to this milestone.”

Along with the visitor center and the upcoming auditorium, the Foundation funds the Youth Conservation Program, a teen trail rehabilitation crew, and the Children in Nature Multicultural Engagement Program, an experiential pilot program that introduces local Latino youth to park-centered outdoor education and Grand Teton’s recreation.  Foundation donors also support wildlife research and metal bear-resistant food storage lockers that are installed in park campsites and picnic areas.  Planning for a major trail restoration campaign is underway and will address degradation and erosion issues on some of the park’s most popular trails.

“This auditorium is going to be a tremendous addition in the park and a unique venue for the greater community, too,” Mattson said.  “We hope to offer a wide range of wilderness programming.  The lectures, films, and videos that will be showcased here will be one more way to connect people to Grand Teton and America’s irreplaceable landscapes.”