" It is not just bad business. They are thieves. They should be in prison & working jobs while there to pay people back. "

" The ones who lost nothing at top of this should have to sell cars and homes to cover the loss to unsuspecting ones who paid for a year. "

" The Rosebud's behavior has been disgusting. The mourning period for the theater's death has officially ended. Buh-bye, creeps. "

" The theater president announced recently that the administration didnt realize the business was in danger of closing until the last week of September.--------------
So any and all money they accepted after that should be punishable by law, to say the least. "

" Howie M at Rosebud might say NO DEAL
if knew all particulars. lol.
If they didn't know til September it was in trouble, then all must been wearing blinders. I don't buy it.
Hard to bullhockey this ole woman. "

" Wasn't it just about 3 weeks ago that some of us got flyers in the mail showing Kenny Rogers and asking us all to purchase upcoming 2010 tickets?

I thought it was odd that this would come AFTER the announcement it was closing but BEFORE the fact there was no cash to reimburse those who paid for the 2010 season.

Fishy? I think so! "

" I wonder if the entertainers received pay? I bet the ONES AT THE TOP overseeing got their share. This all smells like fish left out for days in unvented room. Even if reopen, how many will FALL FOR IT AGAIN?
And yes, we received a lot of circulars stating entertainment and call for tickets long after September.
I think this needs investigated and public know all that is going on. "

" There are a couple shows I would like to attend before it closes, we really enjoyed going to the Rosebud, but I'm with the rest of you - I'm not happy about them soliciting additional monies when they knew things were very bad. We had asked them to rethink their season ticket sales - they were really only geared toward businesses, no way our family was going to cough up money for that many tickets, now I'm glad that they didn't listen to some ideas of how to improve things.... "

" It has been great to have the Rosebud bringing in some great acts so close to home. We found it wonderful to introduce our kids and/or treat ourselves to ballet, orchestra, jazz, comedy, country, and classic rock at reasonable prices with a short drive home. What a great thing for us all.

It's too bad the people of the area failed to support this fabulous asset. I'm very sad that we will have to drive to Chicago, Springfield, Indy, or St. Louis to see these acts in a top quality venue, most certainly at much higher prices and with much less convenience. Not even Champaign has a facility of this quality (Assembly Hall is a terrible place to see and hear a concert).

It's a real shame the theater is closing but I don't see that management and investors should be punished and ridiculed further by the newspaper or commenters here. They did not intend to fail. They did their level best at running and promoting this business in a tough business climate. Many other theaters are closing around the country, as are many other businesses. Is it sad? Very! Is it criminal? It doesn't appear so. Should the JG-TC add to the criticism? Definitely not.

I simply hope and pray some other investors will come quickly to reopen this wonder asset so we can all experience LIVE performance into the future. Let's all try to assist in any way possible to save the Rosebud Theatre. "

" mhs82, if all the people who bought tickets for 2010 lost all that money and it didn't help keep the doors open, what do do you think would? How do support crooks who take the money and run? "

" Jo wrote on Nov 2, 2009 9:28 PM:

" Wasn't it just about 3 weeks ago that some of us got flyers in the mail showing Kenny Rogers and asking us all to purchase upcoming 2010 tickets?

I thought it was odd that this would come AFTER the announcement it was closing but BEFORE the fact there was no cash to reimburse those who paid for the 2010 season.

Fishy? I think so! "

Jo, I once bought a gift certificate at a Mattoon restaurant to give to a couple who did a lot for my mother before she passed away. The owner himself sold me the gift certificate and they closed the very next day. I have to believe that he knew what he was doing and made a cool fifty off of me. I know that's pretty trivial compared to the good people who got shafted out of hundreds of dollars but it was the same principle. "

" It's a real shame the theater is closing but I don't see that management and investors should be punished and ridiculed further by the newspaper or commenters here.
---
No, what's a real shame is that they are cheating their patrons out of season ticket prices. The people who opened the theater should have known it takes YEARS of financial losses to get a chancy, expensive proposition like a theater to break even. Couple that foolishness with their glaring lack of ethics, and they have earned every bit of scorn they get. "

" Sad to think the Rosebud probably accepted the 2010 membership cash well knowing that they were going to close. "

" Makes a guy wonder if mhs82 is involved with the rosethorn doesn't it?? "

" Rohn Gordon wrote on Nov 4, 2009 8:19 AM:
" Makes a guy wonder if mhs82 is involved with the rosethorn doesn't it?? "

Certainly does! "

" NEW plans for Rosebud? City of Effingham purchase idea is on the table? Who knows what may become of this beacon of tourism? "

" The connection I have with the Rosebud is being a patron of many shows from the very start. So, yes, I have a connection as a customer, but not in any other capacity.

Any new business undertakes a huge risk when opening. It takes a great deal of time to build up clients. It takes a great deal of funding to operate during the critical and risky startup phase. The people who envisioned and worked to make the Rosebud a reality did realize it was a huge undertaking. Unfortunately the Rosebud was just getting a good start when the economy went sour. Many, many businesses have gone under, and there are still more to follow.

I thought they were giving everyone a great chance to use their tickets with the remaining shows. They could have waited until all the money was gone and simply closed up, never to giving anyone a chance to use any tickets. I talked to a friend retired from the theater business who said many theaters have closed recently with absolutely no warning whatsoever. Zero notice!

I maintain the Rosebud Theatre is and still can be a great asset for the area. I sure hope it will reopen soon, and I will be in line for tickets in order to support the theater and see some good shows.

Were you part of the solution? Did you buy any tickets? Did you help them stay alive? I did, and I'm sad to see it closing. "

" "Were you part of the solution? Did you buy any tickets? Did you help them stay alive? I did, and I'm sad to see it closing. "

Sorry to say...nope! Our co-pays for docs & medicine have grown so high that we have no funds for entertainment. Glad to see that many people still do! "

" I never attended a show but had friends who did. They said they had the rudest audiences there. People were talking out loud while the concerts were going on. If you want to talk all the time go to a bar or restaurant. Some of my friends quit going after a couple of times with this behavior. I saw where these investors want the city of Effingham to buy the facility, pay off the debt, rent it to them for a dollar, and run it as a non-profit entity. If the city council does purchase it, they should find someone else to run it, because this bunch had their chance and it didn't work. "

" Rosebud trying make it all smell better and keep it open but with fewer shows, which when they saw LONG AGO should have been done, and not payout to so many stars and shows. Fewer shows would keep the utilities lower as well. I AM NOT GOING TO BE SUCKERED however. We could only afford to go three times a year.
Rosebud doesn't have to bring the newer stars either, as we love a lot of the older ones.
I liked Burl Ives, wonderful sweet man in person if lucky enough to meet him.
I met REDD FOXX and AUNT ESTHER, both hilarious in person. Met CLAYTON MOORE, The Lone Ranger when in Arcola 1981 and spent hours with him. Even kissed him four times. He looked good for his age and kept in condition.
AND very wonderful man. We ate some cheerios. hehe. Being able to meet stars in CORNFIELD COUNTIES is good.
I never forgot them and pleasant memories. All stars seemed to like visiting us in cornfield counties. It is going to be interesting at the latest information about Rosebud. "