Moreno Valley council approves lease and operator deal for immersive museum at mall

The Moreno Valley City Council approved a lease of the first floor of the former Sears at Moreno Valley Mall and authorized a professional services agreement with Lighthouse Immersive Studios to operate an immersive exhibition venue and an adjoining, city-run traditional museum and retail space.

Council voted unanimously after a lengthy staff presentation and more than an hour of public comment, including local artists and community groups who urged either a pause for more local input or safeguards to ensure continued funding for artist-led programs.

Staff and the council described the project as two linked components: immersive galleries (roughly two 8,000-square-foot projection-based exhibition spaces) operated by Lighthouse, and a separate approximately 4,750-square-foot traditional museum and about 1,700 square feet of retail under city control for rotating local exhibitions and education programming. The city will hold a 10-year lease for roughly 75,000 square feet of the former department store floor; tenant improvements and lease-start details were negotiated in the agreement.

City staff told the council the project will be funded initially from city facility reserves for one-time implementation costs and that annual operating costs estimated at $1.5 million would be funded from the city's art development impact fee (Art DIF) fund. Staff said ticket revenue and other earned income from immersive exhibitions are expected to offset operating costs over time, and that the Arts Commission would administer programming in the traditional museum and retail component.

The council and staff emphasized the project's role in the city's economic development strategic plan as a potential regional attraction that could catalyze further redevelopment at the mall, including hotels and residential projects. Supporters on the council said the project creates a permanent, indoor space where local artists can display and teach and where residents need not travel outside the city for cultural attractions.

Opponents in public comment and several artists asked the council to delay final approval to allow the Arts Commission and local artists more time to weigh in and to ensure Art DIF money is spent in ways that directly benefit Moreno Valley creators. Other speakers raised questions about accessibility for people with sensory issues, pricing, and the percentage of funds that would flow to a global operator versus local artists and vendors.

Council members said staff will continue to work with the Arts Commission on programming and that staff will return with follow-up items, including the previously paused item about a mural at El Potrero Park. The vote approving the lease and professional services agreement was unanimous.