Get a peek inside the Huntridge Theater in downtown Las Vegas after renovations
The new owners of the historic Huntridge Theater in downtown Las Vegas on Thursday released the first renderings showing what its theater, cabaret and lobby will look like in an expected $15 million to $18 million renovation The work will be completed within two years.
J Dapper purchased Huntridge at Charleston Avenue and Maryland Parkway in March 2021 for $4 million.
The Las Vegas developer said it expects to begin renovations early next year, pending approval from the Las Vegas City Council. Council members are expected to discuss the matter at their Oct. 18 meeting.
Named after international business tycoon Leigh S. J. Hunt, the Huntridge Hotel was designed by S. Charles, architect of the Fox Theater in Beverly Hills and the Melrose Hotel in Hollywood. Designed by Lee.
Huntrich’s Story
Operated by the Commonwealth Theater Company, it opened on October 10, 1944. Premieres and many premieres took place here, including by stars such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Marlene Dietrich.
In 1947, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello performed live on the Huntridge Stage to promote their film Buck Privates Come Home.
In 1951, the business was taken over by a consortium partly owned by actresses Loretta Young and Irene Dunne. Another company, the Nevada Theater Company, took over the same year, reportedly making the Huntridge the first desegregated theater in Las Vegas.
By the 1970s, the theater was declining and Vegas kingpin Elvis Presley was able to rent it out to show movies.
A movie theater for 50 years, Huntridge was converted into a concert hall in 1992 by new tenant Richard Lenz. Richard Lenz, a former sound engineer, tore down a wall built in the 1980s to divide the Huntridge into two theaters.
Looking for a second life
The experiment was a success, and Hunter Ridge became a bustling live music venue, hosting artists such as the Beastie Boys, Green Day, No Doubt, Nine Inch Nails and Las Vegas locals The Killers.
In 1993, Lenz listed Huntridge on the national and state registers of historic places. Two years later, during a sound check before a Circle Jerks concert, the roof collapsed. Although the theater was remodeled and reopened in August 1996, it never regained its footing as it was hit by competition from audiences and performers from newer casino venues, including the House of Blues and the Joint.
In 2002, Huntridge was purchased by Eli Mizrachi, owner of a nearby furniture store. Mizrachi closed Huntridge on July 31, 2004, in preparation for renovations that never took place. By 2008, he was discussing plans to convert the theater into office and retail space. The city sued Mizrachi in 2014, claiming his organization violated funding rules by failing to pay maintenance costs and keeping the theater closed for years. The case was settled in 2016 for an undisclosed amount.
The Las Vegas City Council approved a plan in 2019 to sell Huntridge to Dapper, which had been trying to acquire the property for years but was stymied by a lawsuit from the city.
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