City says they will match funds to Vali3 Theater

MONTE VISTA - At their last Monte Vista City Council meeting the council all voted to donate a dollar-for-dollar match donation up to $1,500 for the Vali3 Theater on their GoFundMe. City Clerk Unita Vance who is a part of the theater board shared with the council what has been happening with the theater these last few months.


The theater had to shut down in March due to COVID-19, and is still shutdown. “The day that we got news that we could reopen, we reopened with the intent to show a movie following the weekend on Monday. Put in the movie and discovered that our projector is down,” said Vance.


Vance told them that they contacted the projector company and asked them to take a look at their projector. She told them it took a while before they could get someone to actually come look at their projector in person. “They did come down and looked at the projector and our projector is out. It’s the light engine in the projector so when it shows up on the screen there’s lines across the movie. To replace that projector it’s going to cost the theater $30,000,” Vance told the council.


Although the theater building is owned by the City of Monte Vista the Vali-3 theater board is working on achieving their own nonprofit status. They try to operate the theater in a way that keeps it affordable and fun for everyone in the San Luis Valley.


Currently the GoFundMe the theater has started has received about $500 Vance shared. “We’ve asked for help with the project to be $40,000. That would include replacing the projector and it would also include funding to allow us to fix up one of the other theaters. Last summer we received a donation from the Creede Repertory Theatre which was lighting for stage lighting. And they had proposed that if we fixed up one of the theaters that they would be willing to look at possibly coming down and doing some productions in our theater,” said Vance.


To help with raising funds the theater board has been talking about hosting different events but with COVID-19 restrictions it’s been difficult to plan anything. “We talked a little bit about having Native American dancers in there during the Native American Art Festival. We talked about having stand up comedians come in. We do have a lead on that right now. We’re not just sitting back and not doing anything. The theater board is working very hard at trying to get other things going in the theater,” said Vance. She also shared how they have been selling popcorn and other concessions on Saturday nights.

Recently their ice maker also stopped working and they have had to purchase ice to sell soda on Saturday nights.


Vance finished her report to the council saying, “We know it’s tough times so we’re not asking for a lot but we’re hoping for a miracle.”


If you would like to help save the Vali3 Theater you can donate at:
www.gofundme.com/f/reopen-the-vali-3


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