The City of Albuquerque is searching for new operators of a Route 66 landmark, the historic KiMo Theatre in the downtown area.
KRQE-TV in Albuquerque reports that the city has issued a request for proposals to find new managers. The city’s Arts and Culture Department had run the venue for decades.
City Councilor Joaquin Baca talked to the station at length about the proposal.
The 30-page document includes an exhaustive list of expectations, like getting chewing gum off the theatre seats regularly, removing graffiti within 24 hours and power-washing the main entrance and sidewalks every week.
“I think it’s easy to see it as overly descriptive, and I’m much about cutting red tape. Simultaneously, this is a historic building, like it needs a little bit more TLC than other places,” said Baca.
The request also outlines how many staff members are needed and their duties. Councilor Baca says they hope to find new operators for the theatre before the Route 66 Centennial in 2026, and he hopes whoever the new operator is appreciates the importance of the cultural value of the KiMo. “You know you’re not running a regular community theater; this is an iconic, historic theater that’s very much a part of the community fabric,” said Baca.
Baca said he hopes the proposals are reviewed before the end of the year.
The KiMo Theater was built in 1927 in a rare Pueblo Deco architectural style.
A fire severely damaged the structure in the 1960s, but Albuquerque residents in 1977 voted to buy the theater and restore it. It hosts plays, movie screenings, dance performances, discussions with artists and other events.
(Image of a classic truck cruising down Route 66 in Albuquerque near the KiMo Theatre in 2015 by Karen Blaha via Flickr)