Councilmember says Fresno should not buy historic Tower Theatre, says it wastes tax dollars
While most Fresno elected officials have offered minimal comments on the controversial sale of the Tower Theatre, Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld on Tuesday accused his colleagues of misleading the public about the city’s proposal to buy the theater.
In announcing a news conference Tuesday afternoon, Bredefeld said his colleague’s proposal to buy the theater isn’t about historical preservation. He called the proposed purchase a “reckless financial scheme” developed by Councilmembers Miguel Arias and Esmeralda Soria, who both represent different areas of the Tower District.
Arias and Soria announced Monday a proposed deal for the city of Fresno to purchase the Tower Theatre. The potential sale of the theater to Adventure Church became public more than a year ago, sparking weekly protests and raising questions about zoning.
“The truth is these politicians are pandering to a small, vocal minority that don’t want the church to be there and are willing to waste millions of dollars to appease them,” Bredefeld’s announcement said. “It’s a complete misuse of taxpayer money, which certain councilmembers routinely do.”
Bredefeld said if the city buys the theater, lawsuits are sure to come, further wasting taxpayer money. The city’s general fund dollars would be better spent hiring more police officers, he said.
After news of the proposed purchase on Monday, Adventure Church’s attorney said the church would be amending its current lawsuit against the Tower Theatre owner to include the city.
“Garry has a right to his own personal opinion,” Arias said. “The Tower District community should be assured he doesn’t represent the whole council.”
Arias invited the community to participate in Thursday’s City Council meeting to share input with the council.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer also offered some thoughts about the potential purchase during an unrelated news conference Tuesday. Dyer admitted to being guarded about his comments in anticipation of future litigation.
“As the mayor of this city, I want to make sure that we have equal access to that theater,” he said, adding that includes Adventure Church or any other church. “The other thing is, we want to make sure that we preserve the culture of the Tower Theatre and what that brings. It is a gem and a crown jewel in our city. So that’s the intent: equal access and to make sure that we’re preserving an asset in our city.”
This story was originally published April 19, 2022 at 11:31 AM.