Staff at the historic venue say visitors shouldn’t notice concert interruptions while the system is being installed.
SAN ANTONIO — It’ll soon be easier to get to two-steppin’ without breaking a sweat at Gruene Hall, the historic Hill Country venue that features live music on an almost nightly basis.
The venue – which has been around for 148 years, making it the oldest operating dance hall in Texas – said in a press release that it was installing an “improved air-cooling system” to help keep visitors comfortable in the summer months, when it routinely gets into the mid-to-high-90s.
That work is underway now and is expected to be done sometime this summer, but staff say visitors shouldn’t notice interruptions in the music.
The installation also isn’t expected to alter Gruene Hall’s vintage atmosphere and structure in any way; according to the press release, the work is being approach through a “carefully designed, preservation-focused upgrade that keeps the hall’s legendary look, feel and open-air atmosphere fully intact.”
Gruene Hall has established itself as a key historic site in the Hill Country over nearly 150 years, and has featured the likes of George Strait, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and countless other country legends filling it with music. It’s also a part of Hollywood history: A key scene in the 1990 John Travolta comedy “Michael” saw the A-lister paying Gruene Hall a visit.
Among the hall’s most notable attributes: Dozens and dozens of framed, signed photos adorning its walls, a glimpse at the multitude of artists who have played there over the decades.
“This project carries that legacy forward, ensuring Gruene Hall remains a place where history, music and community come together for generations to come,” Susie Molak, whose family has operated the hall since 1975, said in a press release.
The modernization plans required approval from the Texas Historical Commission before work began this week. Shows will continue to go on as scheduled as the AC system is being put into place.