The old Metro 8 movie theater in Indio sat dark for years before the Desert Recreation District bought it with an eye toward turning it into a gymnastics and performing arts center. Now district officials are floating an even flashier addition to the plans: a two-story esports arena where gamers would compete in front of a live crowd, with families watching from a glass-walled platform above the action.
From Movie Screens to Gaming Screens
According to KESQ, district renderings show gaming stations facing a wall of screens, with a second level set aside for players and spectators alike. Desert Recreation District spokesperson Scott Sear told the station the arena would be two stories, and that the district plans to remove a wall in the former projection room and replace it with glass so families can watch from above. The design keeps a nod to the building's past, too — KESQ reports the renovated space will retain features recalling its movie-house roots, including the theater's purple lobby walls.
The district has already begun transforming the building. Per the Desert Recreation District, the agency has acquired the former Metro 8 Theater in Indio with an exciting vision to transform it into its next Gymnastics and Performing Arts Center, and the district says it currently offers various programming in the facility already. Conversion plans call for a gymnastics floor, performing arts space, and classrooms, with the broader plans developed by Go Architects alongside the district following community meetings, KESQ reported.
No Funding Lined Up Yet
For all the ambition behind the renderings, the esports arena remains unfunded. Per KESQ's report, the district has no funding for the arena, and the recreation district's own website says the theater conversion is entering its funding phase. The district plans to seek federal community project funding and grants to cover the cost, according to the station, and Sear said the district does not want to place the cost on the community.
That funding gap echoes what The Desert Sun reported last year, when it described the eSports gaming center as part of the district's broader vision for the site and noted that future phases will move forward as additional funding is secured through public grants, community partnerships and other sources. The newspaper reported the full renovation is estimated to cost roughly $20 million, after the district purchased the former theater itself for $1.8 million. The Desert Sun also reported the district began offering programming at Metro 8 in late 2024, and that plans already call for a viewing platform with a glass wall where the projection room once stood.
In the meantime, Sear told KESQ the district is open to hosting pop-up gaming events while it waits on funding, and he asked local gaming groups to contact the district directly. Competitors at a future arena could include school districts, individual schools, and community teams, per the station's report.
Local Gamers Weigh In
The idea has at least one fan among Indio's gaming crowd. Ethan Zavala, who plays Fortnite and Marvel Rivals with friends, told KESQ he supported the arena idea as a better use of the space than leaving the old theater abandoned.
Community recreation agencies elsewhere have already staked a claim in competitive gaming. Noah Hajec, writing for Community Rec, noted that high schools and colleges have been developing esports programs as the activity has grown. The magazine reported that the Chico Area Recreation and Park District launched its own esports programming with a Madden tournament, even as the program remains in its early stages. In Illinois, the Park District of Oak Park runs an esports lounge that welcomes gamers of all skill levels for casual and competitive play, hosting everything from tournaments and pickup games to game art classes, according to the park district.
