Ravinia Reveals Plans For $75 Million Campus Renovation

Ravinia, North America's longest-running outdoor music festival has begun a sweeping, multiyear renovation of its 36-acre park and venues just north of Chicago. Features of Ravinia, from the early-20th-century Prairie School architecture to the manicured lawn, will be meticulously preserved for future generations, while a comprehensive upgrade elevates all venues and amenities to state-of-the-art standards for Ravinia's 400,000 annual guests and more than 100 concerts each year. 

Supported by a $75 million “Setting the Stages” campaign, the project begins with a complete renovation of the Pavilion, Ravinia's largest venue. The signature roof will remain intact while the Pavilion receives a new stage, seating, and lighting, as well as enhanced acoustics and more robust production capabilities. Construction is in two distinct phases; infrastructure improvements are already underway and are expected to be finished before summer 2025, so that Ravinia can present its 2025 season from June 6 to August 31, before work resumes in the fall. The second phase will be completed for the opening of Ravinia's following season in July 2026. 

Upon completion in 2026, the transformed venue will be renamed the Hunter Pavilion, honoring Maxine and Thomas B. Hunter III, in recognition of a leadership gift of $10 million from the Hunter Family Foundation. The thoroughly renovated and redesigned back-of-house areas serving Ravinia's artists will be named The Negaunee Foundation Artist Center in recognition of a major gift of $21 million from The Negaunee Foundation.

“Ravinia has always been a cherished part of my family's story,” said Bill Hunter of the Hunter Family Foundation. “Growing up, we often went there with my parents, Maxine and Thomas, my grandmother, and our extended family, sharing picnics under the canopy of trees, surrounded by beautiful music and nature. For us, Ravinia represents the perfect intersection of music, art, and nature—a place to relax, be inspired, and build community. This gift is about ensuring that future generations can enjoy that same magic.” 

Lohan Architecture, the Chicago-based firm that succeeded Mies van der Rohe's studio, is designing the Pavilion's renovation. All other areas of the campus—ultimately including the Sandra K. Crown Theater, historic Martin Theatre, Bennett Gordon Hall, and the outdoor Carousel—are expected to be renewed and enhanced successively through the 2029 season, when Ravinia will celebrate its 125th anniversary.

Jeffrey P. Haydon, Ravinia President and CEO, said, “For more than a century, Ravinia has been a cherished destination for generations of artists and audiences from our region and around the world. For many, the Pavilion is their first introduction to Ravinia, and it hosts a wide range of events, from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's annual residency and shows by legendary pop and jazz artists to performances by our Reach Teach Play students and alumni of our Steans Institute, who return as today's stars. Renovation of the Pavilion is essential to securing Ravinia's future and is the first of many exciting changes to come in the park. Our goal is to make every part of Ravinia more welcoming, comfortable, and exciting, while keeping us at the forefront of artistic presentation and programming for generations to come.”

Christopher J. Klein, Ravinia Board Chair, said, “As we embark on this exciting renewal of one of America's great cultural treasures, I'm deeply grateful to the Hunter Family Foundation, The Negaunee Foundation, and those early donors of the ‘Setting the Stages' campaign for demonstrating such incredible support for Ravinia. With over $50 million raised to date, we're creating a Ravinia that honors our past while enhancing the Ravinia experience. The renovation of the Pavilion will be a true awakening, creating a vibrant, fresh space that feels completely transformed. Longtime patrons will experience a sense of renewal as this venue brings new energy and excitement to every performance. I can't wait for that first performance, when we all walk in and feel the buzz, knowing we're part of something truly special.”

Marin Alsop, Ravinia Festival Chief Conductor, said, “Ravinia is a truly special place for all of us. It is a privilege to make music at the highest level in such a gorgeous, nature-filled setting. When it came to redesigning the Pavilion, a few Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians and I shared ideas to improve acoustics and deepen the connection between performers and the audience, all while preserving the charm and history that make Ravinia unique. It's exciting to see how these improvements will elevate the experience for everyone.” 

Elements of the renovations of the Hunter Pavilion will greatly enhance the production and presentation capabilities of the venue, including a deeper stage; a new acoustic shell for orchestral performances; a state-of-the-art audio system; a robust show lighting system, along with new lighting throughout the Pavilion; modernized production booths; and a modern video production room as well as new audience seating with increased accessibility.

The Negaunee Foundation Artist Center will include improvements to the back-of-house with a more welcoming artists' entrance; updated dressing rooms and artist areas; two new warm-up rooms for musicians; a warm-up room wired to double as a media production studio to support radio and TV broadcasts; renovated offices for the production department and stagehands; and an expanded loading area for more efficient show management.

Future phases of renovation will include construction of a new concert stage for the Sandra K. Crown Theater; structural restoration and enhanced production capabilities of the historic Martin Theatre, the only original structure at Ravinia, dating back to the opening in 1904; a new outdoor performance stage to replace the modified Carousel Stage; and a thorough updating of the production, aesthetics, and audience areas of Bennett Gordon Hall.

Michael C. Barnes, Principal Architect of Lohan Architecture, said, “The design of the Pavilion renovation is an endeavor of both continuity and transformation undertaken while introducing extensive needed updates. By honoring the architectural legacy of Ravinia's past while embracing the present, we've developed a holistic design that speaks to the history of the park and its evolving story while providing an enriched and inspiring experience for performers and audiences alike. The introduction of wood, a material deeply rooted in Ravinia's early construction, along with new geometric patterns inspired by the iconic Martin Theatre windows connects the Pavilion to both its natural setting and the broader architectural history of the festival grounds. Music stirs passion, evokes memories, and creates lasting connections. So being part of this project, in a place where people gather to create new memories or relive cherished ones through music, is a privilege that makes the Pavilion renovation a truly special project.”

Ravinia will announce its 2025 season, running from June 6 to August 31, on March 13.

To post a comment, you must register and login.