Las Vegas Moves Ahead With a Second Huntridge Theater Study, but No Renovation Has Happened This Year

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, the Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission got an update on the Huntridge Theater. One commissioner asked a simple question: had the city paid for a second study? A city staff member said yes. Phase two is moving forward.

According to FOX5, phase two is a broader look at cultural facilities. It is meant to lay the groundwork for a master plan for performance venues and the system that supports them. It will also work out what it would cost to renovate. In plain English, this is the study that will put a dollar figure on reviving the Huntridge.

Jay Dapper, principal of Dapper Companies, also spoke to the commission. Dapper Companies is the theater's developer. Dapper confirmed two things. First, no renovation work has taken place on the theater this year. Second, he still plans to move the theater to a nonprofit called the Huntridge Conservatory.

Dapper did not give a timeline. FOX5 reported that he expects the project's framework to be set once phase two is done, and that he planned to ask about a timeline on a call the following week. So for now, there is no date for when the study will finish, no date for when work will start, and no date for an opening.

Commissioners also noted that the covenants on the building stay in place until the end of 2030. Covenants are agreements tied to the property. They can set rules on how a historic building is cared for and used. Commissioners said talks about extending those covenants could happen later.

FOX5 did not report any details about phase one of the study. It also did not report a cost for phase two or a cost estimate for the renovation itself. Those numbers are not public yet, as far as we could find.

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

The Huntridge is more than an old movie house. It is one of the few buildings in Las Vegas that people from every part of the valley can name. It gives the Huntridge neighborhood its identity. When a landmark like this sits dark for more than 20 years, people notice. Neighbors notice it the most.

For homeowners nearby, an empty landmark is a mixed bag. The building is still a point of pride. Its sign is still a photo spot. But a closed theater does not bring people to the area at night. It does not help the restaurants, coffee shops and small stores along Charleston and Maryland Parkway. A working theater would. Shows bring foot traffic, and foot traffic helps local businesses stay open.

Studies like this one matter because they decide what is realistic. Without a real cost number, nobody can raise the right amount of money. Donors cannot plan. The city cannot plan. A nonprofit cannot plan. Phase two is the step that turns "we hope it reopens" into "here is what it will take." That is slow, but it is a real step.

The study is also bigger than one building. FOX5 described phase two as a look at cultural facilities and performance venues in general. That could shape how the city thinks about arts spaces in the older parts of town. Downtown, the Arts District and the neighborhoods east of them have been changing fast. How the city plans for theaters and stages will affect what those areas feel like in 10 years.

And for people who simply love old Las Vegas, the update is a reminder that history here takes work to keep. Las Vegas tears a lot down. The Huntridge is one of the buildings the community has fought to save, more than once.

Background and History

The Huntridge Theater opened on Oct. 10, 1944. It was designed by architect S. Charles Lee in the Streamline Moderne style, and it had about 950 seats. The theater and the Huntridge subdivision around it take their name from the Hunt family, who owned the land.

Over the decades, the Huntridge played a lot of roles. It was a neighborhood movie theater with kids' matinees. In 1980 it was split into two screens. In 1992 the dividing wall came out and it became a live music venue. Many longtime locals still talk about seeing concerts there. In 1995 the roof collapsed hours before a show. No one was seriously hurt, and the venue was repaired and reopened.

The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It closed on July 31, 2004, and it has stayed closed ever since. In the years after that, the building sat under private owners while preservation groups pushed to bring it back. The state took one owner group to court in 2014 over the terms of preservation grants, and that case settled in 2016.

Dapper Companies bought the theater on March 31, 2021, for $4 million. At the time, the company estimated a renovation of about $10 million over roughly three years. Later in 2021, the theater was added to the City of Las Vegas Historic Register. On April 7, 2023, Dapper held a public ceremony to relight the theater's neon sign, and Soho Playhouse was named as the planned operator.

That three-year estimate has now passed. This week's update, with no renovation work this year and a plan to hand the theater to a nonprofit, shows the project has shifted. The second city study is now the key piece that will decide what comes next.

The closed Huntridge Theater building in Las Vegas in December 2010, years after it shut its doors in 2004

What Happens Next

The next big milestone is the end of phase two. When the study is done, it should give the city and the developer a renovation cost and a plan for how performance venues, including the Huntridge, could work. Dapper said he expects the project's framework to be finalized at that point. No completion date for the study has been made public.

The second thing to watch is the move to the Huntridge Conservatory. Dapper has said he plans to transfer the theater to that nonprofit. Details such as when the transfer will happen, who will run the nonprofit, and how it will raise money have not been reported. A nonprofit owner can open doors to grants and donations that a private company may not get. It also means the project will rely on fundraising.

The third thing is the covenants. They stay in place through the end of 2030. Commissioners said extending them could come up later. Those agreements are one of the tools that protect the building, so any talk about extending them is worth following.

The Historic Preservation Commission meets in public. Future updates on the Huntridge are likely to come up there, and in city council meetings if money or agreements need a vote.

Questions Neighbors Are Asking

Is the Huntridge Theater reopening? Not yet, and there is no date. The developer told the commission that no renovation work happened this year, and he did not give a timeline. The city's second study has to finish first.

Who owns the theater right now? Dapper Companies bought it in 2021. Jay Dapper said he plans to move it to a nonprofit called the Huntridge Conservatory. The timing of that move has not been reported.

What does the second study actually do? Based on what city staff and the developer said, it looks at cultural facilities more broadly, sets up a master plan for performance venues and the support around them, and figures out renovation costs. That cost number is the piece the project has been missing.

What are the covenants? They are agreements tied to the building that stay in place until the end of 2030, according to commissioners. Agreements like these are a common way to protect historic buildings, especially ones that have received public preservation money in the past. Commissioners said an extension could be discussed later.

Can I go inside? No. The theater has been closed to the public since 2004. The neon sign and the outside of the building are what most people see today.

Does the theater's historic status put rules on my house? The theater's listings on the National Register and the City of Las Vegas Historic Register apply to the theater property. They do not, by themselves, put rules on the private homes around it. If you own an older home in the area and plan big outside changes, it is smart to ask the city's planning department whether your own property falls inside any local historic district first. Rules can differ by street.

Living in the Huntridge Area Today

Even with the theater dark, Huntridge has a lot going for it. It sits a few minutes from downtown, the Arts District and the medical offices near Charleston. Many of the homes date back to the 1940s and 1950s. They tend to be single-story ranch homes with real yards, which is hard to find in newer parts of the valley where lots keep getting smaller.

Older homes also come with older systems. Buyers should plan for inspections that look closely at roofs, sewer lines, electrical panels, and heating and cooling. Some homes have been fully updated. Others still have original parts. That range is part of why prices can vary a lot from one street to the next in central Las Vegas.

The area has also been part of the bigger conversation about central Las Vegas. Nearby projects like the Charleston storm drain work and the plans around downtown keep changing what the core of the city looks like. We covered some of those changes in our related stories at the top of this page. A revived Huntridge would fit into that larger picture of an older part of town getting new attention.

Why a Cost Study Comes Before a Shovel

It can feel frustrating to hear about another study instead of construction. But with a building this old, the cost study is the step everything else depends on. A theater built in 1944 has had a roof collapse, years of sitting empty, and decades of desert heat. Nobody can raise money, sign contracts or set an opening date without knowing what the repairs will really cost.

The study also looks past one building. FOX5 reported that phase two will set up a master plan for performance venues and the system around them. That means thinking about who would run shows, how many seats the area can support, and how a revived Huntridge would fit with other stages in the city. Getting that right up front can keep a reopened theater from struggling once the doors open.

Ryan's Take

I like this news, even though it is slow. Old neighborhoods like Huntridge are some of the most unique places to live in Las Vegas. You get mature trees, mid-century homes, real character and a short drive to downtown. A landmark that comes back to life can lift how people see a whole area. Buyers notice when a neighborhood has a heartbeat, a place to walk to, something happening at night.

But I would not buy or sell a home in Huntridge based on the theater reopening. There is no timeline, and no renovation work happened this year. If you love the area, buy because of what is there today: the homes, the location and the neighbors. Treat a reopened Huntridge as a bonus if it happens. If you already own nearby, keep your home in good shape and stay involved. Preservation projects move faster when the neighborhood shows up.

What You Can Do

If you care about the Huntridge, the best thing you can do is pay attention to public meetings. The City of Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission meets in public, and agendas are posted on the city's website. You can watch, show up, and comment. Commissioners pay attention when residents care.

Watch for news about the Huntridge Conservatory too. When a nonprofit takes over a project like this, it usually needs volunteers, donors and local support. If you want to help, that will likely be the place to do it once it is up and running.

If you live in or near Huntridge and you are thinking about selling, know what makes your home special. Historic neighborhoods attract a certain kind of buyer. They want character and location, and they will pay attention to condition. If you are thinking about buying, walk the area at different times of day. Look at the homes, the streets and the businesses along Charleston and Maryland Parkway. Ask about the age of roofs, plumbing and electrical in older homes, since many houses there are decades old.

And if you just love old Las Vegas, visit the theater's sign, share the history, and keep the conversation going. Landmarks stay alive when people remember them.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com