The 14-auditorium movie theater once occupied by AMC in Apple Valley, California which closed down was donated to the town's local government by the building's owner.
AMC closed its doors to the movie theater four months ago after it decided to not renew its lease. Since then, the building's owner donated the compound and the town is looking forward to discussing what could be done to it.
Reasons Behind the Donation
"I don't know if we've ever heard or talked with somebody who donated something like this," Apple Valley mayor Scott Nassif told ABC's Los Angeles affiliate KABC. "It's tremendous. We can't thank them enough, and the community is very grateful and excited. It's a unique opportunity for us."
Nassif added that the age of movie theaters has been numbered since the introduction of video streaming and the COVID-19 pandemic, which also impacted several retail businesses in the area.
"The last couple years, when people just couldn't get out and intermingle and socialize as much as they used to, I think that had an effect," he added.
The mayor also said the owner donated the land and building where it was erected for two practical reasons. First was that finding a buyer for a 55,000-square-foot (5,110-square-meter), 14-auditorium building would have been difficult and time-consuming, in large part because of the unique layout of a movie theater. Secondly, Nassif said, the owner could potentially write off the entire donation.
What to Do With the Building
With the building now in town control, Nassif said Apple Valley was actively seeking input from the public, and even from high school students, as to how best to use the space.
"We've had a lot of interest from not just the people of Apple Valley, but the whole high desert, and even outside the area, we've had a tremendous amount of folks looking to see what they can do with this type of facility," he said.
Apple Valley will be hosting a listening session at the movie theater on Thursday, September 28, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Pacific Time (19:00 to 21:00 UTC), to solicit public opinion on what to do with the facility.
