Petition circulates to revive Boyne Theater as community hub with diverse entertainment

CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — Some residents in Boyne City are trying to save the Boyne Theater, a historic venue that last showed movies 20 years ago and today sits vacant.

Now, they’re asking the city commission to finally resolve the issue.

“Downtown is the center of your community, and when your downtown thrives and does well, your whole community benefits,” Boyne City resident Tony Williams said.

But downtown Boyne City has a noticeable gap: the Boyne Theater.

Lifelong resident Tony Williams co-owns an art gallery across the street.

He has a row of seats from the theater where he worked as a projectionist.

“We had two big projectors. It was old-school; it was round dots up in the corner when you’re watching the movie and throwing the switches,” Williams said.

The Boyne was built in 1903 as an opera house and showed movies until the early 2000s.

Recently a restaurant, the city bought it in 2020, and it has sat empty ever since.

“It’s a different world now. In those days, you would go there and see friends, gather, get your Milk Duds and go. It was a great time, especially for young people,” Williams said. “I think there’s a shortage of quality things for young people to do.”

A petition is circulating in stores and online, calling for action from the city.

While operating a movie theater is an uphill battle, even in metros, the organizers say they want the Boyne to be sustainable.

“It’ll show Saturday matinees. It’ll be a comedy club, a civic theater; a multipurpose functional facility with concerts and entertainment across the spectrum. That’s where we see the sustainability of this facility,” Boyne City resident Scott MacKenzie said. “We’ve had input from folks that live as far away as Traverse City, Harbor Springs and Cheboygan saying, ‘We would come and attend events in a facility of that nature.’ There are some naysayers that say it can’t be done. We say, ‘Give us the opportunity to try.’ If we can’t do it, then we go to plan B.”

UpNorthLive News spoke with City Manager Michael Cain.

He says the Main Street Board has requested a joint meeting with the city commission.

The commission could approve scheduling it at this Tuesday’s meeting.

The Main Street Board is responsible for downtown development.