Commentary: The day the walls came tumbling down -- NOT

Illustration by Kaylee Faucher

By Doug Spoon, Editor

Looks like we get to celebrate another New Year’s Eve with the big yellow wall in Menifee Town Center. Maybe we can have George Krikorian drop a ball from the top of the wall at the stroke of midnight.

Yes, we are still playing the waiting game for the removal of what was supposed to be a giant movie complex, bowling alley, sports bar and who knows what else. Kinda hard to remember the plans that were first unveiled 10 years ago. OK, so COVID hit and project financing was rough. But c’mon, we don’t want a giant handball court in the center of town. When is it coming down?

That’s the big question. It has been 15 months since the City of Menifee first declared the unfinished theater a public nuisance and ordered it be demolished within two weeks. That’s the longest two weeks on record. There have been so many court rulings, 30-day grace periods and appeals since then, I’ve stopped counting.

It’s gotten so bad, I’m almost embarrassed to publish more updates. The last one on Nov. 26 stated that the City of Menifee had awarded a bid of $231,000 to a company to demolish the theater walls “beginning in December and completed by February.” That, of course, met with the usual amount of jokes by residents on social media.

“I can do it for $1,000,” wrote one. Many others have volunteered to show up with sledgehammers for the chance to get in a few swings and take the thing down themselves. When one of the retail buildings burned down, there were cheers from the public. Krikorian never realized how entertaining the shell of a theater can be.

But seriously, there actually has been one development recently. At its Dec. 17 meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to approve a declaration of public nuisance for the retail pads – an action that had to be taken separately from the previous theater action.

As usual, the City must wait 30 days before demolition to give Krikorian time to do whatever he does – which probably is file another appeal. He and the City of Menifee have had dueling court actions for months, and Krikorian has had a lawsuit against him by a contractor for years. But the demolition contract for both parts of the property has been signed, and it seems unlikely that a judge would give him more time to find a buyer before the walls have to come down.

But who knows?

Meanwhile, enjoy the jokes and try not to get too frustrated. It will all be over before you know it. Maybe. Possibly. Or not.