Large Concerts

With 6,000 square feet of indoor, chair-free space, the Main Hall will offer a unique performance space from other venues in the area and will attract performers that have previously not performed in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Many heavy metal bands, jam bands, and electronic dance music performers now prefer, and in some cases demand, no-seat, general admission venues. This configuration positions the most enthusiastic fans at the front of the stage and allows them to generate excitement for the rest of the crowd. Additionally, this type of admission permits more affordable ticket prices which ultimately draws bigger crowds. In the case of the ITRP, which is situated directly between two colleges and close to several others, affordable tickets will be especially appealing for college students and will draw them to concerts on a regular basis.

Weddings/Banquets

Weddings and Banquets will also make up a large portion of events held in the Irem Temple Building. The Main Hall will accommodate over 400 guests for weddings or dinner theater style events with room for a large dance floor. While additional wedding venues already exist in downtown Wilkes-Barre and the surrounding area, few offer a comparable amount of space, making the Irem Temple Building a unique contributor to the local wedding industry. As of 2013, the wedding industry generated $53.4 Billion and since then, the industry has continued to grow as the economy improves and unemployment rates decrease. The ITRP plans to partner with local vendors to extend the overall economic benefit of accommodating weddings to the entire community.

Other Types of Events

With thousands of square feet of modifiable space and various size rooms among its four floors, the building will also provide venues for small events/group rentals, ring based sports, theater in the round, markets, conventions, and vendor shows.

The Dome

The Dome will serve both as a museum and a small event space, allowing the community to hold events in which guests are literally surrounded by local history. Again, artifacts and pictures will line the walls and floating display cases will be placed throughout the space. The display cases will be on wheels, so the museum exhibits can be reoriented to fit the type of event and amount of space needed.

Living Map Room

Located in the basement, what was once the locker room will be transformed into a dynamic, virtual experience, that begins with guests surrounding the balcony on the 2^nd floor and looking to the at first, empty floor below them. They will watch as the floor is transformed into an interactive map and timeline highlighting key places and events in our history. Once the captivating virtual performance is complete, the lights will rise and reveal two floors of pictures and artifacts providing further insight into key places and events.

Main Basement Room

The main room in the basement will provide two more unique ways to experience the area’s history. On the left side of the room, important cultural and historical artifacts will be arranged on mobile stands, flat panel televisions will line the walls playing brief documentaries, and interactive digital kiosks will provide more information on specific events. All of the displays will be easily transported to ensure they can be moved in less than an hour in the event of rising flood waters.

The right side of the room will contain two circular immersion booths that will provide first-person, 360-degree simulations and recreations of important historical events. Imagine bringing a classroom into an immersion booth and suddenly the students have left the museum and are now soldiers in the Battle of Wyoming or a miner trapped in an anthracite coal mine. Genuine partnerships with local organizations, Native American tribes, and Revolutionary reenactors will allow the ITRP to create these experiences.