NOW THAT MACC, HE’S BACK IN TOWN
This story was originally published in the April 26, 2025 Issue.
With a nod to Bobby Darin …
The McCoy Arts and Cultural Center (MACC) is seemingly back on track.
Plans for the MACC project, approved in 2019, build on the existing Edison Theater to include a new performing arts theater, an outdoor amphitheater, and a new parking lot.
But in September, Mammoth Lakes Town Manager Rob Patterson identified a problem — a big one.
The Kern Community College District (KCCD) committed $7.5 million in funds to the project in 2000. However, because those were school bonds, the project qualified as a Division of the State Architect (DSA) project, prompting higher, more expensive standards for the new building and the existing theater.
If not resolved, these standards threatened a 15-20% uptick in the project’s cost, potentially up to $2.5 million more than expected.
To solve the problem, the Town, the DSA, and the KCCD met several times and “finalized an understanding,” which would exempt the town from meeting the DSA’s standards, said Haislip Hayes, Mammoth Lakes Public Works Director.
“We’ve submitted essentially an application package that they’re responding to, with a letter stating we’re not subject to DSA for access or school or anything,” Hayes said.
This understanding is expected to give the Town the “needed certainty” to move the project forward as initially designed, staff stated in a report.
As a next step, Mammoth Town Council voted unanimously last Wednesday to finalize and execute a Joint Development and Use Agreement with KCCD for the MACC, which is “one step in a long and complicated process to secure the funding and land to complete the MACC.”
The agreement stipulates that KCCD is guaranteed free and priority use of the facility, but it prohibits KCCD, or any other school, from hosting classes or using the facility for educational purposes, though it will be available for events like a performance or a graduation.
The agreement requires the Town to pay all future operating and maintenance costs, own the facility, and be responsible for scheduling and programming it for the next 99 years.
Patterson wasn’t worried about the sustainability of this agreement or its associated costs, mainly because the building will generate its own revenue through fees and ticket prices.
He expects the facility to be in use about 50% of the year, or about 15 days in a month.
Beyond that, the town plans to subsidize costs using an endowment, meaning it expects people to donate to the theatre. And that shouldn’t be too hard, since everyone wants it, right?
Well, Councilmember John Wentworth seems to think so.
“The voters specifically supported this,” he said. “They specifically supported leveraging these funds with the idea that the town would provide the kind of support indicated here.”
Patterson said that if the donations don’t cover it, the town will use Measure U funds.
KCCD’s $7.5 million is only to be used for construction. The agreement requires the town to construct the theater and pay for the design and development with its funds.
KCCD expects to review and approve the agreement at its regular meeting in May. At the same meeting, KCCD will finalize its bond sales and authorize the transfer of funds to the Town.
In May, staff plans to present the final purchase and sale agreement for consideration, review the design at PEDC, bid the project, and close on the sale. Staff also expects to present a timeline of events and milestones to bring this project to the construction phase.
Construction is still expected to begin this year, and the project budget is slated to be $16.8 million, including the $7.5 million in KCCD funds.
