ROSE CENTER THEATER in Westminster.

By Jim Tortolano
Orange County Tribune

The drama that has been the story of the fate of the Westminster Rose Center will likely be extended a while longer.

At Wednesday’s meeting, the Westminster City Council voted 5-0 to extend until the end of 2026 the agreement with the Friends of the Rose Center for operation of the facility, which includes a 419-seat theater and ballroom in the Civic Center.

The council heard and voted to receive and file a status report on the process of processing proposals to manage the facility and develop it as a “multicultural center.”

If the Friends of the Rose Center agree to the extension, that organization will continue to operate the facility through the end of the year, extending an agreement which would otherwise end on June 30.

“You can’t rush the process,” said Councilman Carlos Manzo.

The deadline for the submittal of proposals to take over the center is May 7; the goal for staff is to bring to the council a recommended vendor at the June 24 meeting.

As many as eight potential applicants have expressed interest, according to a staff report.

Also discussed was the need for repairs and upgrades at the facility, which City Manager Christine Cordon put at $1.8 million.