The City of Reno is still deciding what to do with the Lear Theater. Back in September, City Council voted to continue discussion on the future of the building. That discussion continued Saturday in the form of a public meeting.
No official proposals were brought forth at the meeting. The Council said a lot of work is needed to restore the building.
"It doesn't have power. It doesn't have water. It doesn't have bathrooms. There are leaks. There are plants growing inside," said Naomi Duerr, City Councilmember for Ward 2.
Nothing official was decided on, but two concepts were presented. One of them calls for the Lear to be turned into an arts and culture or community center, whereas the other considers its future as a venue for the performing arts.
For the latter concept, officials said it'll have around 328 seats. Multiple people involved with theater say that size venue is exactly what Reno needs. But one man has some concerns about traditional theater at the Lear.
"It's not a traditional theater, and so to try and present traditional theater in there, I don't think it's going to work. Certainly not in its current condition," said Chad Sweet, technical director for Reno Little Theater.
Sweet says he's in favor of a community space. This would allow folks to use the building year-round and even rent it out for a much lower cost compared to other venues.
"There's a lot of choirs, younger kids and stuff that need a place to go. and this is a mid-range place where they don't have to rent from the casinos and other expensive places that are used, like pioneer theater," said George Eddie Lorton.
The City of Reno conducted a poll of all attendees - both in-person and through a Zoom call - to gauge interest in the two concepts. 59% of people voted in favor of a community center. 26% prefer a theater, while 16% are either undecided or indifferent.
Councilmember Duerr said the community can decide how they want to be involved in the next steps. Many options are on the table, including something similar to another project with a lot of community involvement. Namely, the Truckee River Flood Project.
"What we did there was ... regular community meetings for the flood project that I was involved in, the Truckee River Flood Project. That was monthly."
The City of Reno is still collecting feedback on the future of the Lear Theater. You can respond to their survey and find more information on the City's website. Community feedback will be presented to the Reno City Council at its meeting on February 25.
