Las Vegas developer J Dapper told the city's Historic Preservation Commission on Wednesday that his long-term plan for the long-dormant Huntridge Theater is to sell it to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that would run the venue over the long haul. Framing the project as a public-private partnership, he said a budding Huntridge Conservancy is intended to keep the space workable for community groups and small arts organizations. Dapper laid out a phased approach that would focus first on getting the main theater open, with other improvements coming later.
According to KTNV, Dapper told commissioners the Huntridge Conservancy "has been formed, initially funded, and we are starting to accept donations," and that renovation plans are roughly 90% complete even though construction has not yet started. He said he hopes a nonprofit will formally own the building by the end of the year so community groups can use the theater on a nonprofit-friendly basis, and reiterated that the work could be sequenced so the main hall is renovated and activated first.
Commissioners Pressed for a Plan B
Commissioners spent much of the meeting pressing Dapper on what happens if the nonprofit model does not pencil out and taxpayers are left exposed. As 8 News Now reported, Dapper said he would sell the theater "for the appraised value" if needed, but he declined to promise that there was no backup plan beyond the nonprofit structure. Commissioners also questioned whether a revived Huntridge might end up competing with or duplicating offerings from smaller venues such as the Beverly Theater, and they pushed for clearer financial safeguards before moving forward.
Partners and What the Revived Huntridge Would Offer
The project already has a lead operator lined up. Dapper Companies announced that SoHo Playhouse would operate the theater and described plans for a multi-venue layout. The theater's own project page lays out those renderings, detailing a roughly 1,150-seat concert hall, a 450-seat Off-Broadway space and two smaller theaters, a 100-seat cabaret and a 199-seat replica of SoHo’s New York City stage, according to the Huntridge. Dapper bought the Huntridge in March 2021 and has spent several years acquiring nearby properties as part of a broader downtown redevelopment push.
Timeline and Hurdles
Practical issues are still in the way. KTNV reported that a lawsuit and a dispute over a cell tower at the rear of the property have slowed work, and Dapper said no renovation has begun. He had previously floated the possibility of a 2026 groundbreaking, but at Wednesday’s update he did not offer a new firm start date. If the sale to a nonprofit goes through, Dapper said it would be followed by fundraising and phased construction.
For now, city staff plan to keep the Huntridge on the agendas of preservation and planning bodies while Dapper, the conservancy and the prospective operator work through the details. The Huntridge's site and Dapper's team say they are accepting partners and donations as they finalize program partners and funding. Community groups and theater fans can track updates through the theater's project page and its press feed as the plan inches toward reality.
