Basalt City Council to Decide Old Theater Site Hotel Fate

Aspen —“‘We were obviously very excited about building a hotel, and Basalt’s been a dream for us.’”

Grant Dupart didn’t mince words when he told The Aspen Times that his firm had won the bid. Bow Tie Partners, led by the sons of Movieland 7’s founder, chose WalshDupart to turn the old theater site into an extended-stay hotel.

The decision wasn’t made lightly. The theater closed after more than three decades. Revenue had dipped following the pandemic. The owners weighed a restaurant. They considered commercial space. They looked at housing. They settled on hospitality.

Now, the project is fighting for its life in Basalt.

WalshDupart and Bow Tie Partners moved through the entitlement phase. They met with the Planning Commission. They listened. They revised. They lost.

The third meeting ended on Aug. 4. The commission voted. Two members denied the request. Five approved. It was close. It was messy. It was local.

Bob Kaplan, the first alternate on the commission, saw it differently. He backed the project. He called it an “appropriate use for the location.” He pointed to infill development. He cited demand for moderate-priced hotel rooms in the mid-valley.

But the public didn’t just nod along. They showed up. A large crowd packed the room for public comment. This wasn’t a rubber stamp. It was a debate.

Dupart noted the turnout was higher than in prior approvals. The community had teeth. They raised specific fears. Traffic. Light pollution. Hospitality waste.

One neighbor worried about proximity to a private park. Another feared for their water well. These weren’t abstract concerns. They were property-specific anxieties.

“I really want to do the right thing here,” Dupart said. He wants to prove his firm is good people. He aims to discuss neighbor impact. He seeks to talk it through.

The revisions made after the first meeting seemed to help. Dupart told The Aspen Times the feedback pushed the project in a “much stronger direction.” The commission saw the changes. They debated them. They still split.

Now, the buck stops elsewhere. Bow Tie Partners and WalshDupart accepted the denial. They aren’t giving up. They are taking the case directly to the Basalt City Council.

The vote happens on Sept. 8.

This is the final hurdle. The council will make the ultimate decision. The theater is gone. The land is waiting. The question is whether Basalt wants a hotel or a quiet corner for a parking lot.

The community is divided. The developers are confident. The clock is ticking.

Neighbors are watching their water wells. They are watching their parks. They are watching the traffic on Castle Creek Highway.

The Moss family started this place in fall 1991. They are betting on a future that looks nothing like the past.

The city has to decide if that future fits.