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GREENSBORO — The lines are showing at the aging War Memorial Auditorium. But a face-lift won’t be cheap.

This fall, voters will be asked to fund a $50 million renovation of the 49-year-old facility. It’s one item in a $205 million bond package that will be on the November ballot.

Proponents of the bond referendum say the renovations are sorely needed to transform the venue into a performing arts center worthy of a growing city.

But supporters may be in for a fight. Voters rejected the same renovation in a 2006 bond referendum. And today, in an even tougher economic climate, the project costs have increased more than $10 million.

If the auditorium project is approved by voters, it will raise the tax rate by about half a penny in 2009. That would cost the owner of a $200,000 home $12.50 more a year in property taxes.

“This isn’t all about aesthetics or cosmetic restorations,” said Matt Brown, Greensboro Coliseum managing director. “It’s about a fresh start.”

The opportunities for improvements at the auditorium are easy to see.

There is no elevator to take handicapped patrons to the balcony of the 2,400-seat auditorium. The dressing rooms, which have hosted the likes of B.B. King and rocker Chris Daughtry, look more like high school locker rooms than hang-out spots for celebrities.

The infrastructure, including old wiring and air conditioning systems, is difficult to repair, Brown said.

Then, there is the sound. Some of the best seats in the house — front and center — are actually the worst places to hear a performance.

“It’s an embarrassment,” Brown said.

The $50 million renovation project isn’t significantly different from what was proposed two years ago, raising questions about whether voters will deny the renovations again.

In 2006, 53 percent of voters turned down the auditorium bond.

City Council members, who put the bonds on the ballot earlier this month, are willing to let the voters decide how their taxes will be spent.

A good argument might sway voters, said Councilwoman Mary Rakestraw.

“We’ll just see what kind of job they do promoting it,” she said. “They’ll really have to answer people’s questions.”

Proponents of the project say the $50 million is a good investment in Greensboro’s future.

“It is an economic development issue,” said Dennis Stearns, who is leading the effort to promote the auditorium bond. “Every self-respecting city in North Carolina is sprucing up its infrastructure, and that includes a performing arts center.”

The coliseum staff and board are proposing a top-of-the-line renovation that uses some of the current auditorium structure to save costs.

A totally new auditorium would cost twice as much, according to city staff.

The new design has additional balconies, box seats and a higher ceiling above the stage. That would allow for a greater variety of productions to use the space.

The renovations would improve the building’s acoustics — a benefit for the facility’s No. 1 user, the Greensboro Symphony Orchestra.

The auditorium lost four symphony performances next season to other venues — including the new, 3,000-seat Westover Church on Muirs Chapel Road, which has better access for the handicapped and staff to run audio-visual equipment.

“I know it’s tough times for everyone, but I think people need to have a long-term vision,” said symphony President Lisa Crawford. “People have lots of choices now. We need to catch up with the times.”

Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com