Historic Colorado Springs music venue up for sale | Music

The great round dome of music is for sale.

Stargazers Theatre & Event Center is on the market, up for grabs for an undisclosed price through its longtime owners, John and Cindy Hooton.

After 16 years and almost 2,400 shows by the likes of Ani DiFranco, Gregory Alan Isakov, The Wailin’ Jennys, Leon Russell, Karla Bonoff, Janis Ian, Michael Martin Murphey, Loudon Wainwright III, Paula Cole and Trevor Hall, the couple is ready to relinquish the historic Colorado Springs venue. They’ve committed to dates through New Year’s Eve, but will continue to run the concert hall if the building doesn’t sell by the end of the year. 

“We only have x amount of time left to retire,” John said. “We love Stargazers and the intensity of it, but there comes a time when our personal needs and family need to come first. Now’s the time. We’ve accomplished all and more than we wanted to. We wanted to do a mom-and-pop venue but it grew and grew and now it’s a thing. It’s become sort of a musical landmark in Colorado Springs.”

Whiffs of the venue’s availability have already hit the music circuit. Private individuals and other interested parties in big music cities like Nashville, Tenn., Austin, Atlanta and Los Angeles have expressed curiosity. There’s also interest coming from Denver, John says, and one person in the Pikes Peak region. 

Though the couple won’t publicly announce the price of the property at the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Parkside Drive, they’ve based the number on what realtors and brokers would have listed it for, John says. And they intend to keep the 500-seat theater in the music business.

“Our hopes are that a family or business or organization would continue it as a music venue and also do all the community events,” John said. “The last thing we want is a developer to get rid of the building and build something else. That’s not in the cards.”

This isn’t the first time the Hootons have put Stargazers on the market. In 2014 they listed the property for $2 million for the 16,200-square-foot building, its 2.37 acres and more than 250-space parking lot, according to a Re/Max Properties listing.

At the time they wanted to expand to a larger venue of 1,000 to 1,200 seats, but after talking with booking agents they quickly pulled the listing.

“A lot of bands wouldn’t talk to us unless we had 1,000 to 1,200 seats, but that changed,” John said. “Someone sat me down and said if you want a band who needs that many shows do two shows in one night or do a weekend with them. This building is a jewel as a music venue. Don’t be stupid and sell it.”

Designed by the famous architect Vincent G. Rainey, known for his domed theaters, and built in 1969, the building first housed United Artist Cinema 150 Cinerama Theater for about 15 years. It then went through several incarnations, including a dollar movie theater, a country western venue called Colorado Opery, a church and the rock and heavy metal venue called Colorado Music Hall. The Hootons reopened as Stargazers in 2009.

“It serves a very specific sector of the music community,” said Black Sheep owner Geoff Brent. “They had an understanding of who their customers were that I don’t think a lot of people necessarily cater to. That whole seated, mellow vibe they have, it’s a rare thing in a concert venue. A lot of people who still want to go see live music, they’re not catered to that often.”

At the same time they ran the venue, the couple also owned, operated and lived at the Timber Lodge cabins on the city’s west side. After 34 years they sold the property in 2022. Buying another business is not on the agenda.

“After the intensity of 24 hours a day for 34 years in a motel cabin and the intensity of Stargazers, whatever we do will be much mellower,” John said. “We have so many things we’ve put off. I’m a songwriter and guitar player. Cindy sings and she’s an artist. We haven’t been able to do that. We moved to Divide. It’s like a whole other world.”

The musicians and bands have become friends to the Hootons over the years, so for Cindy, the ending of an era is bittersweet.

“It turned into something so much more than we ever thought it would,” she said. “We’re so grateful for the opportunity of the experience. It’s time for someone fresh to come in with fresh ideas and fresh contacts. We’re happy to help them pave the way to success.”

Contact the writer: 636-0270