Plans to revive the Valley Drive-In Theatre in Lompoc have halted at the request of the property owners.
A local resident launched efforts to reopen the run-down facility that sits near the northern entrance to the city.
But last week, Christopher King, who works for an Avila Beach hotel, posted a message to the group’s Facebook page, Reopen the Valley Drive-In Lompoc.
“I am sorry to report that the owners of the property have told us to stop moving forward with reopening the drive-in theater. When I inquired to why the sudden change, the owner informed me that it is not the right time to divulge the details, but that he would like me to stop moving forward based on ‘certain property issues,’” he wrote. “This is heartbreaking news for me, and I know how devastating it must be for the community. I truly believe that creating this group has helped pull people together, which is why I will be changing the name to Lompoc Community United.”
Property owners Ken and Carol Calvert did not return calls for comment when King first launched his effort, and he said last week they requested not to be contacted for comment regarding the halted project.
In May, King said he had talked to the couple and claimed they were enthusiastic yet cautious.
While the effort gained support on Facebook with King’s group quickly growing to 3,500 members, those familiar with the site remained skeptical about the outcome since the property owners repeatedly rebuffed other efforts to spruce up and reopen the old drive-in.
Huge challenges await whoever undertakes a project at the site, which sits in county jurisdiction. Other hurdles included flooding concerns for the low-lying property and traffic matters since it sits along H Street (Highway 1).
Another group is spearheading an effort to revive the Lompoc Theatre in the 100 block of North H Street.
Earlier this year, the Lompoc Theatre Project premiered plans for a $6 million rehabilitation and renovation of the 87-year-old structure, and has held fundraising events.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.