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The Express confirmed Thursday evening that Chris Ring of After Dark Presents is the next owner of the Rapids Theatre.
Ring and Jesse Gooch were the two finalists to operate the historic theater. There will likely be a press conference in the near future pending finalization of details.
Niagara Falls Mayor Robert Restaino said Tuesday in an interview with the Express that the committee vetting proposal heard from both operators and he attended their presentations as in interested party.
He described both as very strong but did not express a preference. The identity of the finalists was confirmed by Restaino when he was asked by the Express which obtained the information from outside sources.
Two Western New York music industry insiders both with more than 30 years of experience said Ring was not their favorite person but both thought After Dark was more qualified to run the operation.
Ring has a lot of experience promoting After Dark Presents shows in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, the Finger Lakes and elsewhere. As of last night, 88 shows were showing across all markets on the After Dark Website. He promotes up to 1,000 shows a year. Here is a link to his Website. https://afterdarkpresents.com/
Much of Gooch’s success has come from the hugely successful Thursday’s on the River series at Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda.
The fact Gooch did not win despite being a Republican insider with multiple voices in the vetting process likely shows it was an objective process with insider connections currying no favor.
The Express reached out to both Gooch and Ring before publishing this article. Neither responded before deadline.
The theater was obtained by the City of Niagara Falls out of foreclosure following the bankruptcy of the most recent operator, John Hutchins who, in January, was sentenced to 18 months in a federal jail for fraud after he and his business manager falsified information for obtain payroll protection funds from the federal government by documenting lost shows, revenue and employees that never existed.
During the last successful concerts at the theater, when it was being managed for Hutchins by Anthony Marsocci, Ring was present for some shows. Whether that was as an interested party or as a friend of Marsocci is unknown. Marsocci was never charged with anything but the federal indictment against Hutchins did mention an unindicted coconspirator whose identity was never revealed.
Gooch also made entreaties to Hutchins and said previously he even introduced an investor to the disgraced former owner ut the investor backed away because the asking price was unrealistic even as negotiations began and Hutchins didn’t seem to be on the up and up.
The committee including representatives from the city, Empire State Development, Niagara County Land Improvement Corporation, Niagara County IDA and Niagara University has been objectively vetting proposals for Main Street redevelopment. The city took possession of the theatre and 38 former Blue Cardinal properties in 2025 and has been working to clean out, and market the reimagined, once-great business district.
One of the first things the city did, with the help of NORLIC and the State, was patch the roof which was leaking in at least 15 places.
Other projects in the Suspension Bridge District, like student housing for Niagara University and the conversion of the Jenss Building to commercial and residential space are progressing.
