City Council approves sale of Lynn Theatre to Durham-led group

The Lynn Theatre saga came to a positive conclusion at the Thursday, Sept. 14 Gonzales City Council meeting.

The council approved selling the historic theatre building, located at 510 Saint Paul St., to a group led by Doug and Dave Durham after the Lynn returned to market in May of this year, following a failed transaction with another consortium of buyers.

The Gonzales Economic Development Corporation (GEDC) recommended the sale to the Durham brothers’ group, HUB CITY Revitalization LLC, after approving a real estate sales contract and performance agreement with the group at the Aug. 28 GEDC meeting.

HUB CITY Revitalization will pay GEDC $140,000 upon completion of a feasibility period listed in the signed real estate sales contract and assume full ownership of the building. In return, the GEDC would no longer be responsible for upkeep of the theatre or for utilities and insurance-related costs as the building would be returned back to the tax rolls, generating sales taxes and property taxes for the city.

In public comments at the Sept. 14 council meeting, Gonzales resident James Lawrence expressed his support to the council for the opening of the Lynn and asked them to consider approving the sale to the Durham brothers,

“I just ask you all to please do the right thing here because every time that this is pushed back further, the higher the costs go and its ability to get it open,” Lawrence said “Inflation has already taken a bite into it and the more costly it is to get it open, the greater the chances we will not continue to have a movie theater.”

“It needs to be done as cheaply as possible and more cost is unnecessary, so I do ask you to please, please, tonight, vote to continue on with what the GEDC is presenting,” Lawrence said.

The council voted 4-1 to approve the sale with Mayor Steve Sucher and Councilmembers Ronda Miller, Poochy Kridler and Sherri Koepp in favor. The lone dissenting vote was cast by Councilmember Lorenzo Hernandez.

Doug Durham went on social media praising the council’s vote.

“City Council voted 4 to 1 in favor of our purchase of the Lynn Theater,” Doug Durham wrote on Facebook. “Thank you to the City Council and EDC for helping our dreams become a reality. And thanks to all of you who believed in us and have stuck with us on this long journey. We couldn’t have done it without you!”

The Lynn Theatre was built in 1948 as a single-stage theater with floor and balcony seating. However, after many years, it was modified to now include two separate theaters, a ticket counter at the entry, a marquee, four exterior displays, a concession area, multiple bathrooms on each level, two screening rooms, private offices, along with backstage preparation and storage rooms.

The Gonzales Inquirer will have more information about the Lynn’s purchase by the Durham brothers in next week’s edition.