We, the undersigned, call on second district Councilmember Dr. Suja Lowenthal and the City Council of Long Beach to preserve the Edison Theatre (213 E. Broadway) as a facility for performing arts and culture in Downtown Long Beach.

The City has done an outstanding job of revitalizing Downtown Long Beach in the past decade, including the recent development of The Promenade.

Soundwalk, BuskerFest, FunkFest, and other events draw local and regional cultural tourists to our increasingly vibrant neighborhood but these events take place only once a year. Returning the Edison Theatre to its former position as a year-round home for the performing arts will capitalize on the East Village’s growing reputation as the place to visit for cultural experience and confirm the area as an exciting arts hub.

The conversion of the Edison Theatre into anything other than a performing arts venue would be a sadly missed opportunity to redevelop this jewel. Keeping the Edison Theatre as an Arts forum not only provides a much-needed venue for local artists and increases the area’s cultural capital, but  will also benefit local businesses by bringing year-round foot traffic and additional revenue to the area as audiences seek to experience the best that Long Beach has to offer.