Barbara Graff, Odessa, TX’s District 3 Councilwoman, indicated that costs for downtown Odessa’s Ector Theatre’s remodel are too high. Recent reports put the cost at $6 million, approximately $900,000 higher than what was estimated in 2015.

The 1950s theater, at 500 N. Texas Ave., has, in recent years, shown older films and a handful of live performances. It has been sitting vacant since 2016, when it closed for good.

Odessa’s city staff noted the extra cost will pay for a 30-foot stage extension, to make the venue more attractive to larger acts, and plays. But Graff indicated the council should meet with the architect, Killis Almond Architects of San Antonio, to bring down the costs. “What I’ve looked at, I think it’s way too high,” she said at a recent council meeting.

The Ector Theatre’s remodel is part of Odessa, TX’s downtown revamp. Construction is already underway on a new $77 million convention center and hotel.

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