With more than $3 million in gifts and commitments secured, the Center invites the community to help raise an additional $750,000 toward its next phase.

The Smith Mountain Lake Center has reached a major milestone! After receiving more than $3 million in gifts and commitments, the nonprofit organization has signed a contract with The Willard Companies to purchase the Westlake Cinema building. The sale is expected to close by Nov. 15.

Smith Mountain Lake Center lobby illustration

The purchase will help bring a community vision more than 25 years in the making to life, transforming the familiar cinema building into a gathering place for education, live performances, movies, meetings, celebrations and special events.

“We are tremendously grateful to the donors whose generosity and confidence in this vision have brought us to this point,” said Jack Phillips, president of The Smith Mountain Lake Center Board of Directors. “Now we’re inviting the entire community to be part of what comes next.”

Preserving Movies, Creating New Opportunities

For many Smith Mountain Lake residents and visitors, Westlake Cinema has been a place to enjoy movies and make memories. The Center’s plans will build on that tradition, not replace it.

First- and second-run movies will continue to be an important part of the building’s future, along with classic films and special screenings. Renovations will take place in phases, gradually creating spaces for theatrical productions, concerts, youth and adult education, lectures, business functions, receptions and a Community Connections lounge.

The long-term vision includes keeping two theaters dedicated to movies, while a third will serve as a flexible space for live performances, presentations and film screenings. Other areas of the building will be renovated to provide welcoming spaces for meetings, celebrations and community gatherings.

The building’s existing theater seating, projection and sound equipment, parking and convenient Westlake location make it especially well suited to the Center’s vision.

More Than $3 Million Committed, and the Community Can Help

Thanks to the generosity of individuals, businesses, foundations and organizations, more than $3 million in gifts and commitments has been received in support of the Center’s purchase, renovation and future operation.

Now, the Center is inviting the broader community to help raise an additional $750,000 to support the next phase of the initiative and help move renovations forward.

Gifts of every size can help bring this vision to life.

Supporters who make a qualifying gift or signed pledge of $2,500 or more by Nov. 20 will be recognized as Founding Members of The Smith Mountain Lake Center through the Founders Circle.

A Community Vision More Than 25 Years in the Making

The vision for a community center serving the Smith Mountain Lake region dates back more than 25 years, when the late Don Fink, a longtime Smith Mountain Lake advocate and visionary, imagined a place where residents and visitors could gather to learn, celebrate, connect and enjoy concerts, stage productions and other events.

For years, dedicated community members have continued working toward that goal. The opportunity to purchase Westlake Cinema has brought the vision closer to reality than ever before.

The Willard Companies have expressed support for the Center’s plans, particularly the commitment to preserving movies at the location.

“The Smith Mountain Lake Center’s vision preserves what people already love about the cinema while opening the door to so many new opportunities,” said Ron Willard II of The Willard Companies.

Live Performances Build Momentum

The Center’s resident theater company, Center Rep, formerly known as the Lake Players, has already demonstrated the community’s enthusiasm for live performances at Westlake Cinema.

Its two most recent productions, The Addams Family and Bonnie & Clyde, both played to sold-out audiences.

Next up is Zombie Prom, a musical comedy running Oct. 22 through Nov. 1 in Theater 2, directed by Matt Karris, the Center’s artistic director.

These productions offer a glimpse of the entertainment and cultural opportunities the renovated Center will bring to the Smith Mountain Lake community.

WSLS 10 Highlights the Center’s Vision

The announcement drew local television coverage on Thursday, Oct. 8, when WSLS 10’s John Carlin visited Westlake Cinema to speak with board members Jack Phillips, Mary Miller and Vicki Gardner about the purchase and plans for the building.

The story highlighted the years of planning behind the initiative, the opportunity to preserve movies while expanding the building’s use, and the Center’s vision for bringing people together through education, entertainment and community events.

For Phillips, who has served on the board for a decade, signing the purchase agreement represents a particularly meaningful milestone.

“It’s something I’ve worked on for so long. It’s nice to see the dream finally being realized,” Phillips told WSLS 10.

Watch the WSLS 10 story and interviews with our board members.

Be Part of What’s Next

The Smith Mountain Lake Center is moving closer to becoming a reality, and there’s still an opportunity for the community to be part of its founding.

Whether through a donation, a Founders Circle commitment or other involvement, community support will help shape the Center’s future and create a lasting resource for residents and visitors throughout the region.

To learn more, make a donation or inquire about naming opportunities, visit SMLCenter.org or email SmithMountainLakeCenter@gmail.com.

Together, we can preserve a beloved Smith Mountain Lake landmark while creating new opportunities for generations to come.