Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Amargosa Opera House and Hotel needs a new roof

Marta Becket Performs at the Amargosa Opera House

Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun

The ceiling of the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction Oct. 1st, 2005.

For years, the strategy for repairing the roof of the Amargosa Opera House and Hotel in Death Valley Junction was to patch the decaying areas of the fragile adobe building. But patchwork has become inefficient for the 95-year-old historic cultural center.

That’s why the Death Valley Junction Board of Trustees is raising $20,000 to construct a new roof for the first time in the building’s history, says Fred Conboy, president and CEO of the board.

In addition to the sheer age of the building, flooding is a periodic problem in the Death Valley area. During heavy rainstorms, water permeates into the opera house, damaging the roof, Conboy says.

“We don’t get flooding often, but when we do, it’s devastating,” he says.

Roof replacement is crucial for protecting the opera house’s walls, which are adorned with murals painted by opera house founder Marta Becket.

Those looking to contribute to the preservation of the opera house can attend any of the opera house’s upcoming events, including two Christmas concerts on December 15 and 21. For more information, go to amargosaoperahouse.org.

This story appeared in Las Vegas Weekly.