The Kalamazoo State Theatre, a historic venue in the heart of downtown Kalamazoo, has been purchased by Lead Balloon Productions.
Helmed by Dan and Holly Carmichael, Lead Balloon Productions plans to invest in preserving The Kalamazoo State Theatre’s historic character and upgrading its amenities and accessibility. The State Theatre temporarily paused operations last fall, but the 1,524-seat theatre will be reinvigorated by the Carmichaels, who plan to preserve its historic character while upgrading amenities and accessibilities.
Warner Norcross + Judd LLP represented the Carmichaels on their purchase of the theatre from the Hinman family, which had owned and operated it for 40 years.
The State Theatre has been a fixture of downtown Kalamazoo since opening its doors in 1927, drawing crowds from across the Midwest and throughout the U.S. Generations of fans have created lasting memories at The State, celebrating graduations, weddings and other milestone events. The Carmichaels will be only the third owner in the nearly century-long history of The State Theatre.
“We appreciate the Warner team for their comprehensive legal counsel and guidance throughout the transaction,” Holly Carmichael noted. “They were highly knowledgeable, a pleasure to work with and very responsive, which kept the process moving smoothly. Having Warner on our team gave us confidence every step of the way.”
The State Theatre is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a member of the League of Historic American Theatres. Designed by renowned architect John Eberson, it’s one of only 16 Eberson atmospheric theatres in the U.S. Known for their incredible attention to detail, they transport guests to a new world under the illusion of a starry night sky.
“It was a true honor and joy to be part of this transaction,” said Warner partner Rachel Foster. “Everyone in Kalamazoo has great memories of attending events or shows at The State, including me and my family. Dan and Holly are stepping up to preserve and restore a true community treasure, which makes incredibly exciting news for Kalamazoo and West Michigan."
The Warner transaction team was led by Foster and included Joscelyn Cekola Boucher, Kurt Brauer, Emily Cantor, Caryn Hannapel, Alex Haywood, Cody Mott and Kerri Stonehouse.
Warner’s Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) Practice Group
As part of one of the largest and most successful law firms in Michigan, Warner’s M&A Practice Group draws upon more than 90 years of experience to successfully and efficiently handle a wide range of M&A transactions for both private and publicly traded businesses, including mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and strategic business combinations of all types.
