The Pahrump Arts Council wants local residents to voice their opinion on what type of cultural arts center they want before they begin the major fundraising.

Manon Rodriguez, chairwoman of the Pahrump Valley Cultural Arts Center Steering Committee, said more than 200 people have replied to the surveys even before shoppers were queried entering Wal-Mart Aug. 25. About 146 more were taken in by noon.

The committee will have a booth at the Pahrump Fall Festival to gather more responses, she told Nye County Commissioners last week.

The committee is expected to give quarterly reports on the project to county commissioners, after having been granted a lease in May for 3.27 acres on the southwest corner of the Calvada Eye.

"We want to bring out what the community would like to see in Pahrump. We have ideas what we would like, but we want to know what the community wants," Rodriguez said. "We will continue to do this until the Fall Festival so we have the best amount of returns on our survey."

The survey will help determine what size facility residents want, whether it's a 500 seat theater or even something larger, Rodriguez said.

A feasibility study will be commissioned using seed money the Performing Arts Council has collected over the years, she said.

After the survey is completed, the steering committee will hold a workshop at 9 a.m., Oct. 15, at Mountain Falls Golf Club to focus on fundraising efforts and develop a capital campaign.

Former Nye County Commissioner Patricia Cox is chairing the fundraising subcommittee. Initial estimates are a cultural arts center could cost $20 million, but that depends on the type of facility. The PAC was given five years to do something with the property or potentially lose the lease.

Rodriguez said initial survey responses haven't been officially tabulated yet, but residents were more inclined to support concerts and plays than crafts like knitting and spinning. They did receive a lot of requests for dance and pottery classes however, Rodriguez said, and a concept for a movie theater was popular.

Most of the respondents so far were in the 24- to 59 year old age category, but many people commented the children, the age category between 3 and 12 years old, would benefit the most from the center. Rodriguez said that is because of the different dance and other type classes that would be offered at the facility.

The steering committee has received a donation of office space at the Cahlan West Shopping Center. Rodriguez said there are no paid employees, but the office is often occupied Mondays.

The committee meets at 6 p.m. on the last Tuesday of the month at the PAC office, 2340 E. Calvada Blvd., Suite B.

The joint organizations participating in the project, the PAC and Rotary Club, each have two members on the executive committee. Loretta Lindell and Sherrie Donofrio-Bales represent PAC, while Rodriguez and Bob Reaney represent the Rotary Club.

Four subcommittees were established: publicity/marketing, fundraising, planning/construction and operations. A chairman of the publicity and marketing subcommittee is sought.

Lindell included the survey in 320 mailings of the publication ArtBeat to all Pahrump Arts Council members. Francine Winters circulated the survey at the recent Tri-Annual Nye County Coalition Conference in Beatty. It's also available at the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce, PAC office, Impressions Window Coverings, Papa Murphy's Pizza and from individual members. Completed surveys can be returned to the PAC office, the Pahrump library and the chamber.