Pecos Theatre in Santa Rosa expected to reopen by April

The Pecos Theatre along the original Route 66 in downtown Santa Rosa, New Mexico, is expected to reopen in April after a lengthy renovation by Guadalupe County, the owner of the historic property.

The most recent print edition of The Communicator newspaper in Santa Rosa, citing county manager Kenneth Flores, had the scoop:

Last week, crews were painting and finishing up the flooring on the interior, while the theater’s new marquee should go up in the weeks to follow, Flores said.

Construction work on the building in the 200 block of South 4th Street should be completed by the end of February, he said, with installation of the theater’s new seating, project and amplifiers will be taking place this month.

Overall, the theater should be ready for use by the end of March, Flores said. An open house ceremony will be announced once it’s on the schedule, he said.

The newspaper, citing a county commissioner, reported the theater may open in mid- to late April.

According to a previous report, the Pecos Theatre will screen first- and second-run movies and stage live entertainment and events.

Stoben Construction Co. of Albuquerque was supposed to have the work done by last fall, but the county’s change orders in the renovations due to time constraints caused the delay.

The theater opened in 1917. The last film screened at there was “Legends of the Guardians” in November 2010 before it closed.

At the time of its closing, it was the oldest operating theater on Route 66. The Pecos began as the El Paso Tiempo, then was the Santa Rosa Theatre in 1920, the Kiva in 1951, the Rodeo in 1936, and finally Pecos in 1981.

(Image of the Pecos Theatre in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, by Pete Zarria via Flickr)