Renovation has been approved, and an operator selected for
interim use of the old Granada Theater, but doors will not open
unless CineLux owner Paul Gunsky is given exclusive rights to
operate a new downtown theater. And while we understand Gunsky’s
position, the city should not give him those rights. Doing so will
only handcuff the city in its search for a developer to build the
new theater.
A wide net has been cast to find a developer for a theater
Renovation has been approved, and an operator selected for interim use of the old Granada Theater, but doors will not open unless CineLux owner Paul Gunsky is given exclusive rights to operate a new downtown theater.
And while we understand Gunsky’s position, the city should not give him those rights. Doing so will only handcuff the city in its search for a developer to build the new theater.
The city cast a wide net for proposals and is waiting for ideas to start flowing in on what to do with the four main city-owned properties downtown, including the Granada Theater and Downtown Mall sites. But the proposals don’t specify that a new theater downtown would have to be operated by CineLux. That keeps the city’s options open. David Heindel, assistant to the city manager for downtown redevelopment, said this first project could range in size from $10 million to more than $200 million. Proposals are due Dec. 14.
Despite $310K to renovate, old theater likely to remain shuttered
So, even though the city approved spending $310,000 to renovate the existing Granada Theater to an operable state, it’s likely to remain a vacant shell for some time. In June, the city entered into an exclusive operating agreement with CineLux after a request for proposals to operate the theater, which closed in 2005, received two reply and they selected Gunsky’s. But he won’t open the old theater unless he gets the promise to operate the new one.
City must keep options open to find the best idea for downtown theater
In the meantime, Save the Granada founder Pamala Meador told reporter Natalie Everett that her group, plans to respond to the developers request with a plan to open the old theater in the interim as a venue for nonprofit fundraising.
“Our vision at this point is to be a nonprofit, and partner with all the other nonprofits to raise money for their causes,” she said. For example, Meador said a softball team could use the venue to show “Field of Dreams” and sell movie tickets and concessions to raise money.
Something needs to be done. An active venue downtown can only help. Now is the time.
