After being shuttered by the former owners in 2021, the historic Chief Theater is beginning a new chapter with owner Trace Adams submitting development plans to the city for a new venue. “It’s about preserving the spirit of Steamboat,” Adams wrote in a news release. “For locals, we’ll offer fair prices, happy hours, local music nights, and a space that truly feels like home. For visitors, we want the Chief to be an iconic destination that also captures everything Steamboat stands for. Too many resort towns have lost their soul to growth. Our goal is to make sure Steamboat never does.”
The space will be large enough to attract major acts while preserving its small-show atmosphere. The venue will also host such events as weddings, corporate gatherings, and family celebrations. Blending mountain-modern with rustic Western charm, plans include a ground-floor bar and entry lounge, central performance hall, second-level VIP floor, and third-floor event bar with open-air rooftop patio. Built in the 1920s for “motion pictures” by “Chief” Harry Gordon, a descendant of the Miami Tribe, the Chief was the town’s longest-running movie theater and, more recently, a performing-arts center. “It’s about preserving the spirit of Steamboat,” said Adams, whose family has called Steamboat Springs home since the early 1960s and helped improve the Howelsen Hill ski jumps, build the Bob Adams Airport, and preserve Fish Creek Falls. “Our goal is to collaborate with every part of the community.”
