After years of not being able to see shows at the Murray Theater, residents and history-lovers of downtown Murray are trying to save and bring back the iconic theater on State Street.
The Murray Theater first opened in 1938 and is one of the few examples of Art Moderne architecture in all of Utah. The theater is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places but unfortunately, the building has remained inactive for quite some time.
For years, citizens of Murray have wanted to renovate the theater but according to Clark Bullen with the Murray Cultural Arts Board, the COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on all renovation plans, construction, and funding for it.
Bullen says that the funding for the renovation currently resides in the hands of the city council as well as the fate of transforming the theater back to what it once was. Bullen believes that restoring the theater is the key to bringing life back to the downtown area of the city.
Supporters of the restoration project are asking donors to commit financially to the cause and are asking the community to reach out towards council members. There is a constant fear amongst these supporters that the building could run the risk of getting sold and potentially demolished if there’s no funding for the theater to come back.
The city council is set to have a meeting on Wednesday to discuss funding for the restoration project.
