The Town Council is seeking bidders to purchase the property that houses the Fountain Hills Theater. However, the town is stipulating that the buyer must continue to use the property for the operation of the theater.

The council voted 5-0 to approve an ordinance calling for the bid process at its June 2 meeting.

Town Manager Grady Miller told the council the buildings are aging, and ongoing maintenance costs have prompted staff to recommend the sale of the property on Saguaro Boulevard at Rand Drive.

The property was appraised last summer and the value was set significantly below the amount that state law requires for the town to hold an election to dispose of it. The appraisal amount was not disclosed.

The bid ordinance states that if the theater use condition is not met the building and property will revert back to the town.

The ordinance also states that the Town Council is willing to consider in-kind improvements to the property as part of the bid.

The large building where the theater auditorium is located was built in 1974 by developer McCulloch Properties as a model home information center.

In 1979 MCO Properties deeded the property to the Fountain Hills Civic Association which then operated it as the Fountain Hills Community Center until the new Community Center was opened in 2001.

The smaller 2,200 square-foot secondary building on the property, which now houses the Youth Theater, was built in 1981 when the Civic Association provided the land for the Fountain Hills Library to use.

The Civic Association deeded the property to the town following incorporation.