City of Dothan Hosts Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Renovated Opera House
The revitalized Dothan Opera House, designed by RDG, blends preservation with modern performance enhancements as part of a larger downtown renewal effort.
RDG Planning & Design is proud to announce the completion of its work on the Dothan Opera House, the first completed project of several planned for the transformative City Center project. The City of Dothan, Alabama, commemorated this milestone with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, with members of the RDG design team and an estimated 400 community members and leaders in attendance.
“The Dothan Opera House has long stood as the foundation of our civic and cultural heritage,” said Dothan Mayor, Mark Saliba. “This renovation ensures it will continue to serve our community as a premier venue for the arts and public gatherings for generations to come.”
Working closely with city officials and community stakeholders, RDG served as the lead design firm for the Opera House renovation, reimagining the historic 1915 structure to meet contemporary performance demands while preserving its architectural integrity. The comprehensive enhancements include a new pre-function addition and entry, ADA-compliant accessibility improvements, a restored historic auditorium and updates to the lighting and acoustic systems — all designed to enhance the audience and performer experience.
“Our work in Dothan reflects our belief that design can help breathe new life into civic landmarks,” said RDG Architect and Principal, Matt Coen, AIA. “By balancing the Opera House’s historic character with the needs of modern users, we’ve created a space that connects the past and the future and continues to anchor the cultural life of downtown.”
The Opera House renovation is part of the broader Dothan City Center Design and Redevelopment Plan, a community-driven vision developed in collaboration with RDG that reimagines downtown as a vibrant, mixed-use destination where residents and visitors can live, work and play. The plan emphasizes the creation of eclectic civic spaces that celebrate the arts and foster cultural engagement, while supporting new opportunities for retail, lodging and residential development. In the coming months, the city will debut additional key elements of the plan, including Porter Park and the Events Plaza, a new City Hall and the Wiregrass Innovation Center, among other projects, transforming the heart of Dothan into a dynamic and inclusive public realm.
This achievement is the result of a strong public-private partnership between the Wiregrass Foundation, the Dove family and the City of Dothan, supported by RDG Planning & Design, Seay, Seay & Litchfield Architects and Brasfield & Gorrie, all of whom share a vision for a dynamic and connected Dothan.