Central Theater
Central Theater is an Art Deco cinema and live-entertainment venue in Ely, Nevada, known for its preserved historic design and long-running role in the community.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Central Theater is a historic movie theater in Ely, Nevada, United States. Built in the late 1930s and opened in 1941, it was created by brothers Percy Hull and Warren Hull after they were unable to obtain permission to enlarge Ely's older Capital Theater. The new venue provided a purpose-built cinema for the community and was promoted as “The Finest Theater in Eastern Nevada.” The building was designed in the Art Deco tradition and originally contained 725 seats. Its most recognizable exterior feature is the vertical neon CENTRAL sign positioned above the marquee. The single-story structure uses curved architectural surfaces, an approach associated with streamlined modern cinema design of the period. The interior and exterior have remained unusually well preserved, making the theater a notable architectural landmark in a town whose principal development occurred during the earlier twentieth-century mining boom. Construction began in 1939 and ultimately cost approximately $80,000, according to historical reference material. The theater opened on March 29, 1941, with a screening of Arizona. For more than five decades it operated as a local cinema before closing on February 4, 1993. Later that year, on August 5, 1993, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architectural and community significance. Central Theater subsequently went through periods of closure and reopening. It had reopened by 2006 but was closed again in 2011 while its owners sought a buyer. The venue reopened on May 25, 2012, and attracted strong attendance in the weeks afterward. In October 2013, manager Chris Lani and his father-in-law, Don Purinton, announced plans to acquire the property, with the transaction expected to take effect in March 2014. Their proposed operating model extended beyond conventional film exhibition: they intended to show second-run movies and host live theatrical productions, musical performances, and sports coverage. A renovation program associated with Lani and Purinton added a new projection screen, digital projector, and sound system in April 2014. These improvements supported the theater's transition from a traditional single-purpose cinema toward a multipurpose community venue while retaining its historic character. The 2016 film The Dark Hand used the Central Theater as a filming location and later premiered there, further connecting the building's local identity with contemporary film production. Central Theater's importance therefore rests on two related roles. It is a surviving neighborhood cinema with a history extending from the golden age of American movie theaters, and it is a preserved Art Deco landmark that has been repeatedly adapted for modern community entertainment. Publicly available material does not establish a current corporate owner, detailed financial performance, or a comprehensive schedule of present-day operations.
History
Central Theater was developed in Ely, Nevada, during the transition from the early-twentieth-century boom era to the mature period of American moviegoing. Percy Hull and Warren Hull had operated or been associated with the local theater business and sought permission to expand the Capital Theater, an older cinema that had opened in 1916. When that expansion was not approved, the brothers pursued a separate theater project. Construction began in 1939. The resulting building was a one-story Art Deco cinema with streamlined curved surfaces and a prominent vertical neon sign spelling CENTRAL above its marquee. The auditorium was designed for 725 patrons. The final construction cost was reported as $80,000, a substantial investment for a regional Nevada community at the time. Central Theater opened on March 29, 1941, showing Arizona as its inaugural film. Its advertising presented it as “The Finest Theater in Eastern Nevada,” positioning the venue as a modern regional attraction rather than merely a small-town screening room. The theater's design is unusual within Ely because many surrounding structures date from the earlier mining boom and reflect older commercial styles. Central Theater instead represents the architectural language of late-1930s and early-1940s entertainment buildings. Its preserved exterior sign, marquee, curved forms, and interior detailing helped maintain a visible connection to the period in which cinema architecture was itself a major part of the moviegoing experience. After operating for decades, Central Theater closed on February 4, 1993. The closure did not end the building's historical significance. On August 5 of the same year, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation recognized the theater as an important example of local Art Deco architecture and as a long-standing cultural institution in Ely. The venue later reopened by 2006 but closed again in 2011 while its owners attempted to sell the property. It returned to operation on May 25, 2012. The reopening produced strong local attendance, indicating continuing community interest in maintaining a cinema in the historic building. In October 2013, theater manager Chris Lani and his father-in-law, Don Purinton, announced plans to purchase the property. The proposed acquisition was expected to become effective in March 2014. Their plan was to use the building more flexibly by combining second-run movie screenings with live theater, musical performances, and sports broadcasts. Lani and his brother had also acquired the Capital Theater and intended to renovate and reopen that older venue, linking the Central's revival to a broader effort to preserve Ely's historic theaters. Renovation work associated with Lani and Purinton continued in April 2014, when the venue received a new projection screen, digital projector, and sound system. The equipment modernized the theater's exhibition capabilities without requiring the removal of its historic architectural identity. The venue later gained additional cultural visibility when the 2016 film The Dark Hand used it as a shooting location and subsequently premiered there. The available record describes Central Theater as a repeatedly revived local venue rather than a conventional national entertainment chain. Its brand value comes from the combination of historic preservation, cinema exhibition, and community programming. Information about its current ownership, exact operating schedule, present management, and financial condition is not established in the supplied sources.
- 2016
The Dark Hand connection
[1]The venue appeared in The Dark Hand and hosted the film's later premiere.
- 2014
Digital projection renovation
[1]A new screen, digital projector, and sound system were installed as part of a renovation plan.
- 2012
Reopening
[1]Central Theater reopened on May 25 and experienced strong attendance in the following weeks.
- 2011
Another closure during sale efforts
[1]The theater closed while its owners attempted to sell the building.
- 2006
Operating again
[1]The venue had reopened by 2006 after its earlier closure.
- 1993
Closure and historic designation
[1]The theater closed in February and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in August.
- 1941
Grand opening
[1]Central Theater opened on March 29 with Arizona as its first advertised film.
- 1939
Construction begins
[1]Construction started on the new Art Deco cinema in Ely.
- 1916
Capital Theater opens in Ely
[1]Ely's Capital Theater opened, later prompting Percy and Warren Hull to pursue a separate cinema after being denied permission to expand it.
Products and positioning
A historic, community-oriented cinema and multipurpose entertainment venue serving Ely and the wider Eastern Nevada area.
Cinema exhibition · 2014
Second-run film screenings
The planned post-reopening program included second-run movies, allowing the theater to provide lower-cost or later-window film exhibition for Ely and surrounding Eastern Nevada communities. The available sources do not identify a complete film schedule or specific distributors.
Live entertainment · 2014
Live theater and musical events
The proposed operating model expanded Central Theater beyond conventional cinema by using its auditorium for live theatrical productions and musical performances. These activities reflect the venue's role as a flexible community entertainment space, although the supplied material does not provide a full list of productions.
Alternative content · 2014
Sports coverage
Sports broadcasts were included in the programming plans announced by the proposed purchasers. Such screenings would use the theater's projection and sound infrastructure for communal viewing rather than traditional film exhibition.
Venue services · 2016
Film-location and premiere venue
Central Theater has also functioned as a film-production and premiere location. The 2016 film The Dark Hand used scenes shot inside or around the theater and later premiered at the venue, giving the historic building a role in contemporary local film culture.
Brand decisions
2014
Conversion toward multipurpose entertainmentStrategyBackground
The venue had undergone repeated closures and reopenings, creating a need to modernize its cinema operation and broaden its community use.
Action taken
The planned program combined second-run films with live performances, music, and sports coverage, while renovation work added a new screen, digital projector, and sound system.
Aftermath
The upgrades supported continued use of the historic building, but the supplied sources do not provide later operating or financial results.
2013
Proposed acquisition by Lani and PurintonM&ABackground
After the theater's 2012 reopening, manager Chris Lani and Don Purinton announced plans to purchase the building, with the transaction expected to take effect in March 2014.
Action taken
The proposed operators planned to continue second-run cinema programming while adding live theater, musical acts, and sports coverage.
Aftermath
The available reference records the purchase plan and subsequent renovation work but does not confirm the final ownership structure.
Sources2 sources
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