After the man selected to be Dothan’s performing arts director backed out of the deal earlier this year, the city is going back to the drawing board.

Bright lights and smiling faces were in the crowd in the Dothan Civic Center last year for a performance of Simba’s Adventure.

Now, there are a few vacant seats out of the 3100 seat arena, as performance arts officials try their best to draw new acts to Dothan.

Cynthia Skipper has been a part of this process for almost 30 years and is now the acting performing arts director. She says the industry has changed a lot since she started

"The acts are bigger, and much more expensive,” Skipper says. “For a small arena, it's real hard for us to bring them in due to the fact that we'd have to charge an outrageous price for the tickets."

Steve Ingram, with the Alabama National Guard came to the Civic Center to try to book the arena for an awards ceremony later this year. And, though the site was booked, it is the first thing that comes to mind to fit his needs.

"It is an ideal location,” Ingram says. “Very accommodating with the staff that works here. It's just a place that everybody knows in the Wiregrass area."

The city continues its search for a new performing arts director.

Seven Rosenblatt was selected to fill the role.

However, at the last minute, he backed out, and now, they're back to square one.

“Hopefully, next week we'll determine who we're going to interview and hopefully that will culminate in someone we hire to be the next performing arts director," Dothan City Manager Mike West said.