Should the City Fix Highland Park Theatre?

Highland Park Fire Chief Pat Tanner handed the City Council some bad news about the at its last meeting:

Though some City Council members believe reopening the theater may be worthwhile for the nearby businesses, many Patch readers think it's time to sell it off without putting anymore money into it. 

"Why the city got involved with this theatre I'll never understand," writes . "They should sell this property immediately."

Reader agrees, going as far to suggest the city tear the building down and just sell the empty lot.

"The City should put the building up for sale and cut its losses," he writes. "Don't throw good money after bad."

But not all readers have given up on the theater. On Facebook, Matt Feddermann suggests the city sell it to an entity that will turn it into a music venue or a BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) theater. Stashs owner Bobby Dubin in the same space and has been pleased with the results. 

AJ Chalom is one of the few readers who believes the city can turn a profit on the theater. She believes it comes down to improving the way it's managed.

"Don't let it sit, properly manage and promote it to attract teens, families, and local residents," she writes. "Give it a Facebook page, put movie times on the DBA website and the city website. Don't let it just deteriorate."

What do you think? Should the city spend $90,000 to reopen part of the Highland Park Theatre? Or should it leave it shuttered until it finds a buyer? Leave a comment or submit a blog post here.

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