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Parks department outlines proposed lease and rehab plan for City Auditorium
Summary
City staff explained a proposed lease with AVA Presents (Alternative Venue Alliance) to reactivate the 1923 City Auditorium, emphasizing capital needs and a planned nine-month assessment before phased improvements.
The Colorado Springs Historic Preservation Board received a presentation Sept. 8 from city parks staff on a proposed lease and rehabilitation plan for the City Auditorium, a 1923 building listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Kim King, assistant director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, told the board the city issued a request for proposals and selected AVA Presents (Alternative Venue Alliance) and its principal, Jesse Morale, to study and operate the auditorium under an initial five-year lease with optional renewal terms. "As he invests funds into the building, those can offset what the rent would be," King said. She said the private partner's plan begins with roughly a nine-month study of infrastructure and operations before undertaking phased capital improvements.
King outlined immediate needs including HVAC, electrical, lighting and sound upgrades and restoration or replacement of severely deteriorated mezzanine seating. She said the city will retain ownership and that major capital projects proposed by the operator must be reviewed and approved by city parks and facilities staff before work begins. King said city council has approved a resolution authorizing the lease as a below-market-value arrangement to enable activation and private investment.
Board members and attendees discussed preserving historic murals painted under New Deal programs, retaining character-defining elements such as the organ and murals, and finding ways to involve community groups and pursue grant funding. King said the parks department has a grant writer on staff and that, while in-kind city maintenance support is possible, staffing and 2026 budget constraints limit the city's ability to commit significant in-house resources immediately.
Board members asked whether the agreement had been signed; King said she hoped to obtain final signatures imminently and expected the nine-month assessment period to begin once the lease was executed. King and board members described the proposal as a promising opportunity to reactivate a long-neglected historic venue while preserving its character.
