Fresno's iconic Tower Theatre to be sold to church

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The City of Fresno has confirmed the pending sale of the iconic Tower Theatre, the namesake of Fresno's Tower District.

Adventure Church has been hosting Sunday services at the theatre and has recently taken action to purchase the historic property on Wishon and Olive.

Councilmember Esmeralda Soria noted that due to zoning laws, the congregation will have to go through more legal action to operate as a full-time church in the Tower District.

Soria says some community members have expressed concerns about losing the Tower Theater as an event venue if the church takes over.

"It hosts a very wide range of cultural events so folks in the community are concerned that some dramatic changes could come to the Tower District," says Soria.

While the City of Fresno cannot prohibit the sale of the Tower Theater, Soria says the congregation will still need the city's approval before re-purposing the historic venue into a church.