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PREVIOUSLY: After Suffering Water Damage Caused by the Earthquake, Fortuna Theatre is Still Closed and it Looks Like it Won’t Be Reopening Any Time Soon

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It’s been two and a half years since a 6.4-magnitude earthquake forced the closure of the historic Fortuna Theatre, leaving the Friendly City’s Main Street with a darkened, empty marquee and even fewer local entertainment options than before. Now, a dedicated group of volunteers is rallying support to revive the 86-year-old landmark. 

“I always loved going to movies at the theater,” Linda Rasmussen told the Outpost. “It’s right smack in the middle of our downtown, and there’s going to be death by neglect if something isn’t done. … It’s not okay to have it sitting there going to waste, which is where it is right now.”

In partnership with Fortuna residents Donny Miner and Brian Gonzalez, in September 2024, Rasmussen created a Facebook page — “Save Fortuna Theatre Group” — to drum up local support for the theater and create a space for nostalgic locals to share pictures and fond memories of midnight showings, long-awaited movie premiers, first jobs and first dates. 

“My first official date with my now husband was in this theater,” one resident wrote in the Facebook group. “I’m so sad that it’s still out of commission. Fingers crossed it can come back to us!”

So, what’s the hold-up?

As many Eel River Valley residents know, the Fortuna Theatre endured extensive water damage after the massive December 2022 earthquake, which broke a fire sprinkler head inside the building, causing an estimated $300,000 in damage to the ceiling and drywall. In a previous interview with the Outpost, David Corkill, owner of Cinema West, the Petaluma-based company that owns the Fortuna Theatre, said he wasn’t sure if repairs were worth the investment, noting that the theater wasn’t turning a profit before it closed.

Corkill did not respond to multiple requests for an interview for this story.

“To me, it just seems like it became too much and it didn’t pencil out anymore,” Rasmussen said. “I’ve never met [Corkill] personally, but I know he would love to see something good come out of it. The only thing I really hold him accountable for is you can’t just do nothing with it and just let it sit there and rot, right?”

In December 2024, Humboldt County was rocked by yet another major earthquake, adding to the damage sustained during the 2022 earthquake. The sprinkler head broke again, though the water system was never turned back on, preventing significant water damage in the auditorium. In a post to the Facebook group, Miner reported minor damage from the little bit of water still in the pipes and damage to one of the screens. 

“And sadly, a speaker horn fell and tore the large auditorium screen in a few spots,” he wrote. “Although these setbacks are discouraging, we remain hopeful and committed to restoring our theatre. Thank you for your continued support and belief that brighter days are ahead for this historic treasure. Together, we can overcome anything!”

In January of this year, the group took a leap of faith and wrote a letter to Corkill, informing him of their intent to form a nonprofit and asking if he would be willing to donate the theater to the community. 

“We’re excited to share that we have officially started the process of forming a nonprofit organization called ‘Save the Fortuna Theatre, ’” the letter reads. “With this new nonprofit status, we are reaching out to discuss the possibility of you donating all or a portion of the Fortuna Theatre building to our organization. Such a generous donation would allow us to take vital steps toward securing grants, funding, and community support for the restoration. Importantly, this contribution could also provide you with meaningful tax advantages, as donations of real property to a qualified nonprofit are often tax-deductible.”

Corkill declined the request. “Unfortunately, we can’t donate our building loan along with the building, so this isn’t really an option for us,” he wrote in an emailed response to the group, noting that Cinema West has invested over $50,000 per year for the past 20 years to cover costs at the theater. “Hopefully, we can come up with some better ideas this year.”

The group remains undeterred. Earlier this month, they met with Gregg Foster, executive director of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission (RREDC) and president of the Eureka Theater’s board of directors, to get some tips on creating a nonprofit.

Reached for additional comment, Foster said he advised the group to draw up a detailed business plan to identify the cost of repairs, maintenance and regular operating expenses.

“Take it from me, the cost of maintaining these large old buildings can be daunting,” Foster told the Outpost. “The Eureka Theater is looking at a multi-million-dollar restoration cost to restore the auditorium and save its marquee and tower. Fortunately, much work was done at the Fortuna Theater by the current owner, so the restoration cost is, I’m told, much less.”

“If the owner is unable to make the necessary improvements to reopen the theater, the first step is to gain ownership of it,” he added. “The community group will either have to use an existing entity to do that or create one and then raise the money to buy it.”

The Fortuna Theatre was previously listed for sale, but it looks like it’s been taken off the market. Still, Rasmussen said the owner would “probably be willing to work with whoever wants to buy it.”

Although the City of Fortuna doesn’t really have any say in what happens with the theater, City Manager Amy Nilsen told the Outpost that the city is “very supportive” of the group’s efforts to acquire it. 

“The City has helped Ms. Rasmussen make connections in the community as well as connect her with grant resources,” Nilsen wrote in an emailed response to our inquiry.  “Unfortunately, the City’s finances are extremely limited and prevent the City from becoming financially involved in this endeavor.”

For now, the group is focused on spreading the word as it pursues nonprofit status and potential avenues for funding. In the meantime, the group is encouraging people to advocate for the theater at Fortuna City Council meetings and keep sharing those stories.

“We’ve read so many beautiful stories on the Facebook page of memories and experiences people have with the theater, or even just honoring the building,” Rasmussen said. “We can’t have a building like that fall apart. … It’s a slow-going process, but I’m not letting that stop us.”

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