Uncommon business model powers McKnight Center’s high-profile season

STILLWATER The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and touring Broadway musical “Chicago” are among the offerings in the 2024-25 season lineup at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.

The modest-sized venue in the community of 50,000 which opened six years with the New York Philharmonic continues to bring in entertainment normally reserved for auditoriums two to three times larger thanks to its uncommon business model, Executive Director Mark Blakeman said.

The sixth season kicks off Sept. 12 and 13 with a rare solo concert by Oklahoma native Vince Gill and a gala concert headlined by Broadway and film star Idina Menzel.

“There’s still some disbelief about what’s happening here,” Blakeman said.

Owned by Oklahoma State University and located on its campus, the facility operates independently. The nonprofit McKnight Foundation, which is governed by a board of trustees, manages the $70 million performing arts center.

OSU alumni Ross and Billie McKnight, of Throckmorton, Texas, gave $25 million to establish an endowment to support world-class programming and a series of gifts followed. The value of the endowment will never go below $50 million.

Interest from the endowment provides 50% of the total annual revenue and is earmarked solely for programming, Blakeman said. Ticket sales and fundraising pay for administrative overhead.

“It’s uncommon. Generally, interest spinoff of 10% goes into operations,” he said. Under that model, revenue from ticket sales determines the level of performing artists that play a venue, and ticket sales depend on the number of seats in the auditorium.

The McKnight Center has 1,098 seats, appropriate for the community’s size but two to three times smaller than venues in large markets, Blakeman said. Audiences enjoy a more intimate setting for performances by the likes of multiple Grammy Award-winners cellist Yo-yo Ma and country music superstar Tim McGraw, who normally wouldn't play at a venue of this size, he said.

Artists who come to perform are asked if they will participate in a learning activity as well residency, master class, coaching, mock audition and they often do, Blakeman said.

Last year alone, 6,000 students from pre-kindergarten through graduate level benefited from programming with professional performers, he said.

The McKnight recently ended its subscription package sales for the new season and saw an 11% increase from the 2023-24 season. Edmond has the second highest number of ticket buyers after Stillwater. Blakeman said buyers came from 292 cities and 26 states last year.

Ticketholders who cannot attend a performance are asked to return tickets so they can go to students at no cost or a reduced price.

About 80 students each year receive on-the-job training by working as ushers, floor managers and technicians at the performing arts center.

“Some worked all four years at OSU and now are going into the field,” Blakeman said. “Three of them now are part of our full-time staff here.”

Blakeman was president and CEO of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra when he was hired in March 2017 to lead the McKnight Center, serving initially as a consultant through the construction phase.

“The project appealed to me in many aspects, being the inaugural director and able to set up the center from scratch,” he said.

He praised former OSU President Burn Hargis’ vision for bringing a performing arts center to campus to strengthen the brand of the university.

Copyright © 2024 BridgeTower Media. All Rights Reserved.

For top headlines, breaking news and more, visit journalrecord.com or sign up for our newsletter .