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New Mexico joining effort to rehabilitate historic theatres

Original Publication Date May 23, 2016 - 8:20 AM

RATON, N.M. - For years, the Shuler Theater in this once-booming New Mexico mining town sat empty in a desolate downtown. It had long passed its heyday as a hot spot for Italian immigrants and Hispanic workers who visited to take in a travelling show or a newly released movie.

But today the 101-year-old Raton venue again is attracting audiences from as far as Trinidad, Colorado just across the state line for variety shows and will soon be ready to screen any Star Wars movie. That change comes as New Mexico is joining other states in pushing an initiative to revitalize downtown districts in isolated, small towns by rehabilitating aging, historic theatres.

An economic development program, similar to efforts in Iowa and Illinois, seeks save the often-forgotten facilities like the Shuler Theater with help on refurbishing buildings and grants for new digital projection and sound equipment. With state funding, cities can develop new business plans and retool theatres' dusty interiors so they can become main attractions in rural areas, New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary Jon Barela said.

"These theatres are part of our history," said Barela, who went to a small theatre in Las Cruces as a child. "They are beautiful architectural gems and they are anchors of the community."

Since January 2013, the state has set aside around $100,000 each for eight theatres, Barela said.

Like refurbished small theatres in other states, New Mexico officials believe reviving theatres in ranching towns and small cities near American Indian reservations will help create jobs in struggling downtown districts and spark excitement in entertainment deserts. Some, such as El Morro Theatre in Gallup, New Mexico, are located along the iconic Route 66 next to the Navajo Nation while others, such as the Lyceum Theater in Clovis, sit just across the New Mexico-Texas state line.

The theatres serve as places audiences can take in a newly released film or play.

Barela said he came up with the idea about reviving theatres after visiting Raton's Shuler Theater and learning about planned renovations. Hours later, he was in Clayton and hearing about the closing of its theatre. Residents in the northeastern New Mexico community would be forced to travel around 80 miles to see a movie, he discovered.

Barela said he had no idea that similar publicly and privately funded programs were taking place in other states.

For example, the Iowa Economic Development Authority's Iowa Downtown Resource Center announced last year a pilot program aimed at rescuing performance venues in historic buildings in seven rural communities. The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency also has helped historic theatres like the 500-seat Phoenix Opera House in Rushville.

Ken Stein, president of the League of Historic American Theaters, said a historic theatre in a small city has the potential to sustain 27 full-time-equivalent jobs and generate around $84,000 in revenue for state and local governments.

Bill Fegan, who helps run the Shuler Theater in Raton, says the revamped venue is already helping the city's downtown. This week, a new Italian restaurant opened. "We have people walking around downtown when we have shows," Fegan said. "It feels alive."

Tabatha Lawson, executive director of Lovington Main Street in Lovington, New Mexico, said the newly refurbished Lea Theatre is keeping residents in town for entertainment. "Some residents are so excited because they remember coming here as kids," Lawson said. "And they end up telling us about their first kiss."

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Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at http://twitter.com/russcontreras. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/russell-contreras.

News from © The Associated Press, 2016
The Associated Press

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