Tower Theatre saved, Adventure Church lawsuit dismissed

The combat betwixt the City of Fresno and the Adventure Church is over. The Fifth District Court of Appeal has dismissed the church's suit against the metropolis for buying the Tower Theatre. 

Councilmember Miguel Arias, who oversees portion of the Tower District, says helium remembers the community’s absorption erstwhile the Tower Theatre's erstwhile proprietor decided to merchantability it to the Adventure Church 4 years ago.  

“When the nationalist recovered retired that this historical theatre could perchance go a religion permanently and nary longer big the drama shows, the arts, the performances that it's been known for, they each started to signifier and we ended up having protests for months,” Arias said.

The metropolis decided to bargain the theatre successful 2021 which ignited a multi-year ineligible conflict with Adventure Church, a section Councilmember Arias says he’s grateful to close.  

“The courts person ruled aggregate times. Now, hopefully, this volition beryllium the last time,” Arias said. “We convey the judicial strategy for uncovering the information and that we followed each the rules and that we sphere the Tower Theatre the mode we're expected to be.” 

Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz shares a akin sentiment.

“We worked truly hard implicit the past respective years connected this lawsuit, and we consciousness astatine the extremity of the day, the close happening was done," Janz said. “I deliberation this volition let for much inclusivity successful presumption of the types of events astatine the Tower Theatre.” 

Councilmember Arias says preserving that past of inclusion is 1 of the reasons wherefore this latest ruling is important.

“The Tower Theatre itself is 1 of the astir humanities buildings that we have,” Arias said. “Now, arsenic a city-owned asset, conscionable similar the normal halfway successful a dependable arena, it's disposable to everyone.”

While temperatures are hot, Arias hopes radical volition halt by and bask what the theatre has to offer.

"Enjoy the aerial conditioning, the lights, and the past and the operation territory by being a The Tower Theatre," Arias said.