Mayan Theatre To Reopen As Nightclub

LOS ANGELES, CA — The century-old Mayan Theatre in downtown Los Angeles will soon gain a new life.

The venue's longtime operator shuttered the theater in the fall after running it for 35 years as a music venue. At the time, there was no word on whether the building had a new tenant.

This week, CoStar reported that the Mayan will reopen as a nightclub in early 2026.

It will be operated by the people behind HEAT Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, according to Mike Joher, the managing partner of both the Orange County club and the Mayan.

"After two incredible decades at HEAT Ultra Lounge in Anaheim, we’re proud to announce the next chapter in our journey — bringing our 20 years of nightlife innovation, community, and hospitality to Downtown LA’s iconic Mayan Theatre," Joher wrote in a LinkedIn post.

He said he appreciated the city of Anaheim's support since the club opened in 2008, but said "when Anaheim couldn’t accommodate our next expansion, we decided to take our vision, our team, and our business expertise to Los Angeles — where the historic Mayan will soon shine again as a world-class entertainment destination."

Joher hasn't revealed anything else about his plans for the venue, though the Mayan has a new website and Instagram account that describes it as the "Mayan Music Venue," offering an "all new nightlife experience."

Reached for comment, Joher told Patch "we're excited to be bringing the venue back to life."

The Mayan — known for its intricate facade done in the style of pre-Columbian societies — opened in 1927 as a theater focused on musical comedies.

In the 60s it screened pornographic films. And from 1990 on it housed a concert venue and nightclub, according to an in-depth history published by the Los Angeles Theatres blog.

It was designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1989.

The property is a "rare example of Mayan Revival architecture" designed by master architects Octavius Weller Morgan, John A. Walls, and Stiles O. Clements of the prominent Los Angeles architectural firm Morgan, Walls & Clements, according to city documents.