Long Center for the Performing Arts

Why go

Austin Opera, Austin Symphony and Ballet Austin helped establish this shared arts home. The contrast between Dell Hall and the adaptable Rollins Studio Theatre lets different kinds of performance occupy the same complex. Its architecture also rewards attention: parts of the former Palmer Auditorium became visible elements of the replacement building.

What to look for

• The circular ring beam around City Terrace survives from Palmer Auditorium.
• Dell Hall’s exterior finish reuses aluminum panels from the old auditorium roof.
• The terrace looks across Lady Bird Lake toward downtown Austin.

The full story

The Long Center grew from a shared problem: Austin’s symphony, opera and ballet organizations needed a permanent performance home. Their joint organization, Arts Center Stage, pursued the former Palmer Auditorium on Lady Bird Lake’s south shore. A 1998 city referendum authorized the lease, and the project took the Long name after Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long’s contribution. The initial proposal proved too expensive as the economy slowed in the early 2000s. A revised plan divided construction into phases, with Dell Hall and Rollins Studio Theatre forming the first phase. The center opened in March 2008. Reusing the old auditorium helped reduce costs and environmental impact. Its structural ring became the feature encircling City Terrace, and aluminum roof panels found another use on Dell Hall. These details make the complex more than a replacement on the same site: the previous auditorium remains legible in the architecture.

Useful to know

• Build in time around the performance to look at the reused auditorium materials.
• Check terrace arrangements for your event before planning the skyline view.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.