City of Guadalupe planning to renovate Royal Theatre

GUADALUPE, Calif. – The Royal Theatre has sat empty on Guadalupe Street for years, but city leaders are hoping that will change soon.

Starting in March, a $12 million renovation will get underway. Construction needs to begin by then to secure critical funding.

With $10 million in federal and state grants, the city is looking to renovate the theatre.

That includes adding a new performing arts center. 

The city is taking bids for the construction and management of the theater.

The deadline for those applications is September 20th. They need to get the project started by March or risk losing nearly 5 million dollars in federal funding.

A failed city bond measure that would’ve brought 4 or 5 million dollars to the project has the city looking for other ways to raise more money.

The mayor believes the theater will be an economic engine for the city once complete.

Renovations will take two and a half years so it is set to be completed in 2027.