River Center Theater for Performing Arts (Opéra Louisiane), Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The River Center Performing Arts Theater, located at 275 S. River Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70802, is a premier venue for cultural and entertainment events. Here is a detailed description of its meeting, conference, and event facilities:

Meeting and Conference Facilities

• Theatre: The River Center Performing Arts Theater is a 2,000-seat, state-of-the-art, acoustically tuned venue. It hosts a variety of events including symphony performances, ballet, dance recitals, and Broadway shows. The theater is equipped with a maple stage, a 57.5-foot by 28-foot proscenium, five electric line sets, and forty-three counterweight line sets. It also features five dressing rooms and has recently undergone a multi-million dollar refurbishment and upgrade.

Function Rooms and Capacities

• Meeting Rooms: The River Center offers 17 state-of-the-art meeting rooms that can accommodate a wide range of events from intimate meetings to large conferences. Each room is equipped with full-featured audio connections, free wireless internet service, and fully dimmable and programmable lighting systems. The Riverview Room, which overlooks the Mississippi River, encompasses over 3,000 square feet and offers state-of-the-art audio capabilities. Four meeting rooms overlook the exhibition floor, providing flexibility for various event configurations.

Event Facilities

• Arena: The 10,000-seat arena is designed for large-scale events such as concerts, sporting contests, and conventions. It features 30,000 square feet of column-free exhibit space, eight dressing areas including two locker rooms, two production offices, a state-of-the-art sound system, and a scoreboard. The arena also includes five full-service concession areas.

• Ballroom: The 25,000-square-foot ballroom is highly functional and adaptable for hosting banquets, tradeshows, consumer shows, conferences, speaking engagements, and concerts. The ballroom has 27-foot high ceiling clearances, allowing for dramatic decorations. It is connected to the rest of the campus by a 25,000-square-foot air-conditioned pre-function common space called the Galleria, which ties all event elements together. The ballroom also features separate lobby and registration areas for stand-alone events and includes a freight elevator and rollup doors for heavy load-ins.

Additional Amenities

• Exhibition Hall: The exhibition hall spans 70,000 square feet with unobstructed floor space, meeting rooms, concession, and kitchen facilities. This flexible space can be combined with surrounding areas to create over 100,000 square feet of continuous exhibit space, making it ideal for trade shows, conventions, and exhibitions.

The River Center Performing Arts Theater is a versatile event space that can accommodate a wide variety of events, from intimate meetings to large-scale conferences and performances. Its diverse range of venues and services make it a cornerstone of Baton Rouge's cultural and social scene.