Appeals court deals blow to Adventure Church. City to finalize Tower Theatre purchase
The Fifth District Court of Appeal on Wednesday denied the Adventure Church’s attempt to block the sale of the historic Tower Theatre to the City of Fresno.
Church officials were dealt a legal blow last week when Fresno County Superior Court Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan denied a motion for a preliminary injunction halting the sale of the church.
They appealed the lower court decision to the Fresno-based appellate court and were denied.
The church has been stalled in its efforts to buy the property at Olive and Wishon avenues in the heart of Fresno’s Tower District. It offered the theater owners $4.8 million.
But vocal opposition and legal challenges have prevented the church from moving forward.
Adding a major wrinkle to the church’s plans was a move by the City of Fresno to buy the property that includes the theater, Sequoia Brewery and Me-n-Ed’s.
In April, the City Council voted to buy the theater for $6.5 million.
That purchase appears to be moving forward.
Sontaya Rose, the mayor’s communications director, said, “The City’s purchase of the Tower Theatre property is in escrow and that escrow is following all applicable court orders.”
It remains to be seen what legal avenues the church has left to buy the theater. Church officials could not be reached Wednesday evening.
Controversy around the theater first erupted in 2020 after Adventure Church entered into a contract to buy the building and was quickly met with community protests.
This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 7:26 PM.
