Once a crown jewel of San Diego's performing arts scene, the Spreckels Theater has become a mystery wrapped in digital detritus and prolonged silence. More than five years after his last live performance - two sold-out Jason Mraz benefit concerts in February 2020 - the iconic venue remains dark, its marquee frozen in time with a pandemic-era message: "Our Curtain Will Rise Again Soon. Until Then Stay Safe – Social Distance – Stay Well."
But the curtain never did rise again.
Even more troubling, as of June 2025, the theater's official website is no longer a portal for upcoming shows or ticket sales. Instead, it has been overtaken by gambling promotions written entirely in Indonesian, offering no trace of its cultural legacy or future plans. This bizarre digital squatting adds yet another layer to the mystery surrounding the 1,463-seat venue.
Much of the building's legacy was preserved thanks to the fierce stewardship of Jacquelyn Littlefield, who owned and operated the theater for more than five decades. Littlefield purchased the building in 1962 for $1.65 million, honoring the wish of her late father Louis B. Metzger, who had leased the Spreckels beginning in 1931 and considered it his favorite property. Against repeated offers from developers and pressure from city officials, Littlefield refused to sell, famously asking, "Would you take a knife to a Picasso?" Her dedication to live performance helped preserve the venue through downturns, multiplex booms, and downtown redevelopment.
Littlefield's commitment was not without conflict. She frequently clashed with theater producers, city planners, and bureaucrats who dismissed her as "difficult." But her supporters saw her differently - as a tenacious guardian of San Diego's cultural heart. She was instrumental in nurturing institutions like the San Diego Theater League, Arts Tix, the San Diego International Fringe Festival, and Mainly Mozart. She allowed the Old Globe to use the Spreckels after its 1978 fire and generously loaned her private art collection to local museums.
When Littlefield died in 2019 at the age of 96, the theater was still operational and a testament to her defiance, grit, and belief in the arts.
In April 2021, the building was sold for $26.5 million to a joint venture between New York-based Taconic Capital Advisors and Triangle Capital Group. The new owners promised a full restoration, bringing in global venue operator ASM Global (which runs Pechanga Arena in San Diego's Sports Arena) and architect Ware Malcomb to spearhead renovations. They envisioned upgrading both the theater and its aging office spaces to attract small and mid-size tenants looking for a revitalized downtown hub.
But four years later, little progress is visible. The building remains shuttered, and none of the involved parties - Taconic, Triangle, or ASM - responded to requests for comment.
A local tipster recently alleged that the property is now in escrow and could be transformed into a hotel with a rooftop pool. The rumor claims the theater would still be used for concerts, possibly operated by Live Nation, with the addition of a restaurant and brewery or distillery on-site. While unverified, the claim suggests substantial movement behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, the broader revitalization of the neighborhood faces turbulence. Just next door, the Campus at Horton - the reimagined Horton Plaza mall - is facing a foreclosure auction after its developer, Stockdale Capital Partners, defaulted on nearly $400 million in debt. Despite completing much of the conversion from mall to office campus, no major tenants have been announced, and the site remains fenced off. Several contractors have filed lawsuits seeking payment, and the once-ambitious downtown renaissance now looks more uncertain than ever.
For many San Diegans, the Spreckels Theater is not just a historic structure but a living symbol of the city's artistic spirit. Its absence from downtown life is a cultural void. Jacquelyn Littlefield spent a lifetime defending her legacy; whether his successors will do the same remains to be seen.
With the venue idle, its digital presence hijacked, and redevelopment rumors swirling, one can't help but ask: will the curtain ever rise again at San Diego's oldest theater?
A local tipster recently alleged that the property is now in escrow and could be transformed into a hotel with a rooftop pool. The rumor claims the theater would still be used for concerts, possibly operated by Live Nation, with the addition of a restaurant and brewery or distillery on-site. While unverified, the claim suggests substantial movement behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, the broader revitalization of the neighborhood faces turbulence. Just next door, the Campus at Horton - the reimagined Horton Plaza mall - is facing a foreclosure auction after its developer, Stockdale Capital Partners, defaulted on nearly $400 million in debt. Despite completing much of the conversion from mall to office campus, no major tenants have been announced, and the site remains fenced off. Several contractors have filed lawsuits seeking payment, and the once-ambitious downtown renaissance now looks more uncertain than ever.
For many San Diegans, the Spreckels Theater is not just a historic structure but a living symbol of the city's artistic spirit. Its absence from downtown life is a cultural void. Jacquelyn Littlefield spent a lifetime defending her legacy; whether his successors will do the same remains to be seen.
With the venue idle, its digital presence hijacked, and redevelopment rumors swirling, one can't help but ask: will the curtain ever rise again at San Diego's oldest theater?
