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A fugitive gasoline leak drove Gunnison's Casino Star Theatre, often described as the longest continually open theater in the United States, to shut its doors Friday.
Lori Nay, a city councilwoman and co-owner of the 95-year-old theater on Main Street, said that efforts to vent out the underground gas leak instead boosted the levels of toxic fumes in the building.
"There's no way we can be open with any good conscience," said Nay.
She and other local residents and officials met Thursday with state environmental officials and the Governor's Office. Some report that the cleanup that began three months ago is not working and may be making things worse.
Rick Sprott, the director of the Utah Department of Environmental Quality, said he found no evidence during Thursday's tour that the fumes pose an acute risk. And no data the state has seen so far suggest an immediate health threat or danger because of the fumes, he said.
A contractor for Wind River Petroleum, the company that owns the now-closed gasoline station, is performing the cleanup under the state's supervision. On Thursday, Sprott pledged to step up his agency's involvement, especially in communication with the public as the cleanup contractor and an environmental company hired by the city continue their work.
"There are a lot of legitimate concerns," said Sprott, "and we are trying to respond to that."
Six businesses already have closed since the leak was discovered three months ago. An underground tank at the now-shuttered Top Stop convenience store leaked about 20,000 gallons of fuel that has since begun spreading under Main Street and into residential neighborhoods.
A family evacuated last week because of the fumes, which contain carcinogenic chemicals. And last week, the Central Utah Public Health Department issued guidelines to the public for reporting and monitoring the fumes.
Engineers working on the cleanup have been surprised and confounded by the speed and direction the plume is taking.
Gunnison City Attorney Peter Stirba said the announcement at Casino Star is "the latest example of the devastating effects of this environmental disaster." The theater is a centerpiece of Gunnison history and culture, he said.
"Residents of the city have already experienced toxic levels of benzene in their homes and businesses, which have created considerable issues of public health, the magnitude of which is still to be ascertained."
Gunnison's 95-year-old Casino Star: A star may be fading away
* The Casino Star Theatre, opened Jan. 13, 1913, closed Friday because of an underground gasoline leak. It was designed and decorated in ornate Beaux-Arts style and has been home to movies - ''Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium'' is on this weekend's billing - and occasional live performances ever since. It closed briefly in the 1970s.
* The Casino Star Foundation bought the Main Street building three years ago.
* A $750,000 renovation was set to begin in two weeks.