The building that once housed Rohnert Park’s only movie theater will be converted into a large pickleball and fitness facility sometime next year. The space has sat mostly empty since Reading Cinemas abruptly closed its doors last November.
CenterLine 33 plans to convert the 16-screen movie theater into a membership pickleball arena and other fitness and wellness amenities. An administrative use permit was approved for the project in June.
A site plan and architectural review for additional outdoor seating were approved by the Rohnert Park Planning Commission Thursday evening.
The partners behind the project – Richard Coombs, Bill Carson and Jack Weaver – say this facility will be the largest pickleball facility in the North Bay.
Coombs is general partner of the Airport Business Center, a large commercial landlord that owns many businesses around the Charles M. Shulz-Sonoma County Airport and Windsor Golf Club. The real estate company is also suing the city of Santa Rosa to prevent the sale or lease of the city-owned Garage 5 on Third Street in downtown Santa Rosa.
Carson is the operations manager of Windsor Golf Course and golf course manager of Rooster Run Golf Club in Petaluma.
Weaver is managing partner of the law firm Welty, Weaver and Currie and previously litigated wildfire cases in Sonoma County.
“The location is wonderful and serves the entire county. We look forward to building a facility that will hopefully provide a fantastic pickleball experience for people of all ages,” Coombs said of the pickleball arena in a phone call Friday.
From theatre seats to pitch nets
The building, located at 555 Rohnert Park Expressway, has four rental spaces on a 12.08-acre lot with 758 parking spaces. The theater space alone is approximately 74,000 square feet with 16 theaters and approximately 3,000 seats.
The full proposal can be found here
Other businesses in the building include Rebounderz indoor trampoline park, Cheer Obsession Athletics and Southern Wine & Spirits Wholesalers.
Plans submitted to the city of Rohnert Park indicate that the exterior of the building would remain largely unchanged.
The interior of the theater will house 17 indoor pickleball courts. There will also be space for other games such as ping pong and cornhole. The second floor, which housed the theater’s film projectors, will serve as a movie lounge for guests.
Although the focus is on pickleball, the facility will also feature a 2,000-square-foot gym and health club with saunas, locker rooms, cold water plunge pools, a red light therapy room and more.
Just outside, 138 of the theater’s parking spaces will be converted into 16 additional outdoor pickleball courts, surrounded by a 12-foot-high fence and requiring a key fob for entry.
On the east side of the outdoor area, a 25-by-60-foot shaded structure with seating will be built where members can rest, watch games or wait for a spot to become available.
The plan also addressed noise concerns related to the outdoor courts, noting that the facility is located in a commercial district and a noise study will be part of the process.
An estimate of the project costs was not yet available and membership fees were also currently being determined, Weaver said.
Following the planning commission’s decision on Thursday, the developers can begin preparations for the renovation.
Weaver estimates it will take several months before interior demolition and construction can officially begin.
“We’re taking the now empty space that was family-friendly and replacing it with something that’s based on health and wellness and still family-friendly,” Weaver told the planning commission. “It’s just a great environment.”
Few concerns were raised by the Planning Commissioners, and the site plan and architectural review were approved by all members except Matt Epstein, who was absent from the meeting.
Vice Chairman Chuck Striplen expressed concerns about the fate of the project “when the trend is over and people move on from pickleball to something else.”
“This is a pretty significant change for this community,” he said during the meeting.
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The theater was the only movie theater in Rohnert Park for 25 years. It was once owned by Pacific Theaters and known as Stadium 16 before Reading International purchased and renamed it in 2008.
Shortly after the theater closed, Reading International removed the projectors, concession area equipment and other equipment, leaving the space largely empty. Weaver said this would have made it difficult for another theater to move into the same location.
