RIALTO ANNOUNCES SCHEDULED REOPENING
The Rialto is pleased to announce that it is preparing to reopen for the upcoming fall-winter season, with plans for events starting on Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024, for the Vitamin String Quartet concert. This announcement follows weeks of close collaboration with environmental experts and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to ensure the safe reopening of the Rialto. The proactive efforts were prompted by the IEPA’s identification of environmental violations by a state-certified asbestos removal contractor working in the basement of the Rialto.
Since being notified of the asbestos violations, the Rialto has taken numerous safety steps including testing the air in the theater and other areas of the building. The majority of those tests detected no asbestos. Only two tests each detected one strand of asbestos. By comparison, Illinois regulations set clearance testing for public schools to be less than 70 strands. In other words, if there had been 69 times the number of strands found, the tests would have shown the air was safe for public schools.
Despite tests showing virtually no detectable asbestos, the Rialto, in collaboration with IDPH-certified remediation experts, developed a comprehensive cleaning plan that meets the highest standards set by the IEPA. This plan is designed to ensure the utmost safety for all occupants while addressing any concerns from the community.
The cleanup plan, which was approved by the IEPA on September 20, 2024, allows for reopening sections of the Rialto building in stages as certain requirements are met. Those requirements include the cleaning of all areas and the reopening of areas only after air testing which meets the strictest standards. Requirements have already been met that allow for reopening areas occupied by the University of St. Francis, Midland States Bank, the Rialto Square Ticket Office and Ticket Lobby, and the Rialto’s Administrative offices. It is anticipated that all requirements will be met which will allow for the reopening of the theater by the Rialto’s show on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.
The Rialto has issued another press release on today’s date, September 25, 2024, that addresses changes with regard to specific shows. That release should be referred to for cancelations, postponements, and refund information. That press release is below.
