Monte Vista Vali Theater ideas get community hearing

COMPETING proposals for the Vali 3 Theater will headline the Monte Vista City Council meeting Thursday evening. In fact, the city council is expecting such a large crowd to hear the ideas that it has shifted that portion of the meeting to the Ski Hi Complex to allow for more attendance.

The meeting at the Ski Hi Complex will begin at 6:15 p.m.

Monte Vista is considering proposals from Buffalo Broadcasting and The Nazarene Church, both of whom responded to a recent request for proposals for redevelopment of the Vali 3. Each organization will be allotted five minutes to provide an overview of their proposals. Community members then will have an opportunity to ask a question.

Due to the change in venue, Monte Vista will not be able to Zoom the Vali 3 Theater presentations to a virtual audience. Instead, residents can email questions and comments to City Clerk Unita Vance at uvance@ci.monte-vista.co.us.

Buffalo Broadcasting owned by Bob Richards wants to turn the Vali Theater into a hub for its radio operations and open up the theater for special movie nights, among other community engagement efforts. 

The Valley Church of the Nazarene, meanwhile, proposes to use the Vali 3 as an extension of its ministry services.

Both groups made presentations on their proposals at the March 16 Monte Vista City Council meeting. View that meeting here.

The Monte Vista City Council is expected to take action on which of the two proposals the city would accept and then negotiate a final lease and ownership agreement. The city owns the Vali 3 Theater and it is currently operated by Friends of the Vali 3 non-profit.