KAREN PRISBREY / MESSENGER PHOTO
Members of the Casino Star Theater Board assemble in front of the theatre for the presentation of $100,000 grant allocated by the State Legislature for the restoration of the facility.  (L-R) Arlo Jensen, Roland Christensen, Lori Nay, State Representative Kay McIff, Diana Spencer, Bonnie Nay, Laurie and John Jensen.

Legislature appropriates $100,000 for theater restoration
By Suzanne Dean and Karen Prisbrey
3-12-08

The Casino Star Theatre in Gunnison received $100,000 in the final budget bill passed by the Utah Legislature on its last day, Wednesday, Feb. 28.
The special funding for the theatre, which will cover perhaps one-tenth of the restoration costs, was one of several measures on matters ranging from $54 million for expansion of the Central Utah Correctional Facility (CUCF) to partial pay-off of the Sevier Valley Center, which should benefit Central Utah.
Each legislature is permitted to propose 10 pet projects for funding on the last day with any funds available when the final state budget is balanced against projected revenues. The theatre got $100,000 out of $398 million in final funds.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Casino Star is noted for its Beaux Arts architecture, which is characteristic of venerable theaters of the early 1900s. It has been used as a movie theater for longer than almost any Beaux Arts structure in the country.
Retired Snow College Professor Diana Spencer and Gunnison City Councilwoman Lori Nay purchased the building a few years ago, established a nonprofit foundation, and are leading an effort to restore the theater.
"It is hoped that the rehabilitation of the Casino Star Theatre will be a catalyst to attract out of the area visitors and reinvigorate the spirit and pride of Gunnison City,” says Gunnison Councilwoman Lori Nay.
The $54 million to CUCF will enable the facility to complete the first phase of a three-phase expansion program. Some of the money will also go for architecture for the second phase.
The Legislature also gave Snow College $1.6 million to pay off its share of bonds on the Sevier Valley Center at Snow College of Richfield.
The Legislature also extended a program designed to provide $42 million to school districts for capital needs. The base allocation going to most school districts was supposed to be $200,000.
“We’ve heard that some school district are protesting the plan, and are trying to get the governor to veto the bill, so it’s not definite yet,” South Sanpete School Superintendent Donald Hill said. “We don’t have specific amounts yet, but if it goes through, we will benefit.”
Other actions affecting the local area included a $2 million appropriation to help farmers fight cheat grass, and $150,000 to the Sanpete Water District, which will pass the funds through to the Gunnison and Mayfield irrigation companies.
The invasion of cheat grass is harming cattle range throughout the state. And the irrigation companies will spend their $150,000 for a study on what to do about a landslide in 12-Mile Canyon that is pushing sediment into 12-Mile Creek and from there onto farmland. The costs of dealing with the sediment are undermining the profitability of agriculture in the Gunnison Valley.