Kanye West Announces Support For Reviving Avalon Regal Theater

CHICAGO — Kanye West announced Sunday that he supports the restoration of the Avalon Regal Theater in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood. The ornate building opened 91 years ago as a movie theater, and has since been transformed into a church, then a performing arts venue.

“We’re doing Chicago Comedy Jam. We’re going to restore the Regal Theatre,” tweeted West, a South Side native.

According to several reports, West was likely referring to the Chi City Comedy Jam, an annual stand-up comedy festival that features black comedians from Chicago. This year's Chi City Comedy Jam will be held Oct. 5-6 at the Arie Crown Theatre.

West didn't tweet any further details about when the festival would be held at the Avalon Regal Theater.

South Side native and entrepreneur Jerald Gary, 33, bought the theater for $100,000 in 2014, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He's since been trying to raise money to fix up the building, and sent a message to the Sun-Times saying he acknowledged West's tweet, according to the report. Gary couldn't be reached for further comment, the Sun-Times reported.

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