History:
The Casino Star Theatre opened on January 13, 1913, as the "Casino Theatre," an unfinished but functional "amusement hall" and movie theatre. Within six months, entrepreneur S. M. Duggins had installed chandeliers inside and terra cotta rosettes on the arched façade, but the Casino reached its full visual glory in July 1915, when its ornate Beaux-Arts façade, featuring Ionic columns and statuary, arrived from Philadelphia.
Star The Casino's performance space was improved with a rear addition in 1918-19, including a partial basement, which provided enhanced stage facilities and dressing rooms for live performances.
Star In the Gunnison Valley News of July 23, 1936, C. E. Huish, who managed the theatre from 1936-40, announced a number of physical changes to the building, including the addition of restrooms and a triangular marquee. Huish also gave it the name it has carried for seventy-five years: the "Star Theater".
Star Except for short period in the early 1970's, the Star has operated continuously as a movie theatre with occasional live performances. Still, over the years, with paint peeling and stucco crumbling, the building's original charm has declined.
Star With the goal of restoring the building to its former beauty and reintroduce it as a cultural center, the Casino Star Theatre Foundation acquired the building on November 1, 2004. The new name, Casino Star, recognizes the theater's entire history as an entertainment center for Gunnison Valley.
