History
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History of 618 Broadway

In 1949, Superior Lumber Company began construction on 618 Broadway, ultimately building the West Theater, a 758 seated auditorium.   The theater was fully equipped with a basement, storage for heating and air conditioning plant, main floor, stage, auditorium, lobby, “cry-room”, men’s and women’s lavatories, “candy-bar”, second floor, business office, projection room, theatre “party” room, store room and three business offices.  The Rocket, Rock Springs’s local newspaper during that time, stated that the West Theater added to the local business section of Rock Springs and marked an achievement in modern planning and erection for movie houses.  The West Theater Company was incorporated under the management of Owen W. West and a formal dedication took place.  Christmas Day was selected as the opening date and “There’s A Girl in My Heart” became the opening attraction. 
 
Shortly after the West Theater opened it became the city’s premier and only functioning movie theater for nearly 30 years as existing movie theaters closed down.  Eventually the West Theater was sold and renamed the Rock Theater.  Films continued to run in this location as Rock Springs continued to grow, but soon the owners moved their movie business to the newly built White Mountain Mall.  For nearly 10 years the Rock Theater sat vacant and parts of the facility were used for storage.  Victory Christian Fellowship eventually bought the Rock Theater along with 591 Broadway which became their permanent location for worship, leaving the Rock Theater once again sitting vacant and used for storage.
 
In June of 2008, the City of Rock Springs and Urban Renewal Agency purchased the Rock Theater for $90,000 in an effort to  restore, maintain, and assist in economic development of the historic downtown area.  Together with the Rock Springs Renewal Fund, Inc., a local non-profit organization, and community members, the URA has adopted the Rock Theater as their number one renovation project.
 
To generate awareness of the newly bought theater, a “Peek Party” was hosted in July of 2008, allowing residents to take a peek of the building before extensive renovations went underway.  The commercial space of the theater was renovated in October 2008 and a one year lease was signed with Bello Capelli Hair Salon to generate revenue.    The Theater Action Committee was formed in November 2008 under URA guidance and continues to meet on a monthly basis to discuss plans for the theater.  In May of this year, volunteers spent hours in the theater cleaning out debris and deciding what was worth keeping for future use.
 
The theater renovation project will take time, money and endless volunteer hours, but with patience and dedication the theater will once again be the gem of Downtown Rock Springs.