Top Story Spotlight kicker element SML Center purchases Westlake Cinema to create community center JASON DUNOVANT The Roanoke Times Oct 12, 2026 Oct 12, 2026 Updated Oct 13, 2026 0 The Smith Mountain Lake Center has announced the purchase of Westlake Cinema as the future home of its long-discussed community center. Courtesy The Willard Companies Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save JASON DUNOVANT The Roanoke Times After years of searching, the Smith Mountain Lake Center has finally found a home. kAm%96 =2<6 @C82?:K2E:@? 92D D:8?65 2 4@?EC24E H:E9 %96 (:==2C5 r@>A2?:6D E@ AFC492D6 E96 (6DE=2<6 r:?6>2 3F:=5:?8 H:E9 E96 :?E6?E:@? @7 4C62E:?8 2 >F=E:AFCA@D6 4@>>F?:EJ 56DE:?2E:@? 7@C 65F42E:@?[ =:G6 A6C7@C>2?46[ >66E:?8D[ 46=63C2E:@?D 2?5 6G6?ED H9:=6 4@?E:?F:?8 :ED C@=6 2D 2 =@42= E962E6C] %96 D2=6 :D 6IA64E65 E@ 4=@D6 3J }@G] `d[ 244@C5:?8 E@ ?6HD C6=62D6 :DDF65 %9FCD52J ?:89E]k^AmkAm%96 AFC492D6 H:== 36 7F?565 H:E9 >@C6 E92? Sb >:==:@? :? 8:7ED 2?5 4@>>:E>6?ED E@ E96 $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 r6?E6C 5FC:?8 :ED 564256=@?8 AFCDF:E @7 2 =@42E:@?] k^Am kAms:D4FDD:@?D @7 4C62E:?8 2 46?E6C 2E $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 92G6 366? @?8@:?8 D:?46 E96 4@>>F?:EJ 6IA=@565 :? A@AF=2C:EJ 2D H6== 2D A@AF=2E:@? :? E96 62C=J a___D] %96 =2E6 s@? u:?<[ 2 =@?8E:>6 $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 25G@42E6 2?5 G:D:@?2CJ[ H2D @?6 @7 E96 @C:8:?2= 25G@42E6D 7@C 2 A=246 H96C6 C6D:56?ED 2?5 G:D:E@CD 4@F=5 82E96C E@ =62C?[ 46=63C2E6[ 4@??64E 2?5 6?;@J 4@?46CED[ DE286 AC@5F4E:@?D 2?5 @E96C 6G6?ED[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 C6=62D6] k^Am People are also reading… Luke Hancock gives insight into Virginia Tech, UVa men's basketball Franklin County voters reject 1% sales tax for education infrastructure The SML Chili Festival returns next weekend Virginia Tech defense aims to take another step against SMU and Kevin Jennings In need of a forever home: Benson Boone and Sombr Democrats want special counsel to probe Trump-Epstein ties Franklin County nears end of high-speed internet push Historic double-double for Dimaro in Virginia Tech's season-opening win Criticism grows over Ramaswamy attack ad featuring Amy Acton's mother In need of a forever home: Briar and Handsome Charles Five turnovers doom JMU football in second consecutive overtime loss The midterms are reshaping the landscape for Trump and Democrats. What's next? Botetourt resident sues county in a bid to nullify Google data center contract Man charged after shots fired toward law officers in Moneta Congressional candidate Joy Powers speaks with Franklin County voters kAmuF?5:?8 7@C E96 46?E6C H2D 8:G6? 2 >2;@C AFD9 :? a_`d 7@==@H:?8 E96 D9@@E:?8 2E qC:586H2E6C !=2K2 :? |@?6E2 E92E E@@< E96 =:G6D @7 (sqy ;@FC?2=:DED p52> (2C5 2?5 p=:D@? !2C<6C 2?5 D6C:@FD=J :?;FC65 ':4<: v2C5?6C[ 6I64FE:G6 5:C64E@C @7 E96 $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 #68:@?2= r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46 2E E96 E:>6]k^Am kAmpE E92E E:>6[ E96C6 H2D 2 =2C86 @776C:?8 @7 DFAA@CE 7@C v2C5?6C E9C@F89 5@?2E:@?D] $96 2D<65 E9@D6 5@?2E:@?D :?DE625 8@ :?E@ 2 7F?5 7@C E96 4C62E:@? @7 2 4@>>F?:EJ 46?E6C]k^Am kAm%96 $|{ r6?E6C E9@F89E :E 925 7@F?5 2 9@>6 :? a_aa H:E9 A=2?D E@ AFC492D6 E96 7@C>6C vC2?5 w@>6 uFC?:D9:?8D 3F:=5:?8 :? (6DE=2<6] %92E AC@A6CEJ H2D =2E6C AFC492D65 3J @FE5@@CD C6E2:=6C #@4< ~FE5@@CD 367@C6 E96 7F?5C2:D:?8 42>A2:8? 4@F=5 36 4@>A=6E65]k^Am kAm(:E9 2 9@>6 ?@H F?56C 4@?EC24E[ E96 $|{ r6?E6C :D ?@H 2D<:?8 7@C E96 4@>>F?:EJVD 2DD:DE2?46 :? C2:D:?8 2? 255:E:@?2= Sfd_[___ E@ 368:? E96 ?6IE A92D6 @7 E96 @7 E96 :?:E:2E:G6[ E96 C6=62D6 D2:5] %@ 2DD:DE :? 7F?5C2:D:?8[ E96 @C82?:K2E:@? :D C64@8?:K:?8 E9@D6 H9@ 8:7E @C A=6586 Sa[d__ @C >@C6 3J }@G] a_ 2D 7@F?5:?8 >6>36CD @7 E96 $|{ r6?E6C E9C@F89 :ED u@F?56CD r:C4=6]k^Am kAmQ(6 2C6 EC6>6?5@FD=J 8C2E67F= E@ E96 5@?@CD H9@D6 86?6C@D:EJ 2?5 4@?7:56?46 :? E9:D G:D:@? 92G6 3C@F89E FD E@ E9:D A@:?E[Q D2:5 y24< !9:==:AD[ AC6D:56?E @7 %96 $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 r6?E6C 3@2C5 @7 5:C64E@CD] Q}@H H6VC6 :?G:E:?8 E96 6?E:C6 4@>>F?:EJ E@ 36 A2CE @7 H92E 4@>6D ?6IE] #6249:?8 E9:D 7:?2= Sfd_[___ 8@2= H:== 96=A FD >2<6 E96 C6?@G2E:@?D E92E H:== 2==@H E96 r6?E6C E@ D6CG6 $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 :? D@ >2?J ?6H H2JD]Qk^Am kAm%96 $|{ r6?E6C 92D 2=C625J FD65 E96 (6DE=2<6 r:?6>2 3F:=5:?8 7@C >F=E:A=6 6G6?ED 2?5 A6C7@C>2?46D 2D :E C2:D65 >@?6J E@ AFC492D6 E96 3F:=5:?8] kDA2?m%96 @C82?:K2E:@?VD EH@ >@DE C646?E E962EC:42= AC@5F4E:@?D[ Q%96 p552>D u2>:=JQ 2?5 Qq@??:6 U2>Aj r=J56[Q 3@E9 A=2J65 E@ D@=5\@FE 2F5:6?46D]k^DA2?mk^Am kAm%96 $|{ r6?E6CVD ?6IE AC@5F4E:@?[ Q+@>3:6 !C@>[Q H:== 36 AC6D6?E65 ~4E] aa E9C@F89 }@G] ` F?56C E96 5:C64E:@? @7 3@2C5 >6>36C 2?5 2CE:DE:4 5:C64E@C |2EE z2CC:D] p55:E:@?2= 56E2:=D[ :?4=F5:?8 2F5:E:@? 2?5 E:4<6E :?7@C>2E:@?[ H:== 36 2??@F?465 E9C@F89 %96 $>:E9 |@F?E2:? {2<6 r6?E6C 2?5 r6?E6C #6A[ 7@C>6C=J <?@H? 2D E96 {2<6 !=2J6CD]k^Am kAmkDA2? 52E2\>46\>2C<lQ`Qm|@G:6D H:== C6>2:? 2? :>A@CE2?E A2CE @7 E96 3F:=5:?8VD 7FEFC6[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 C6=62D6] u@==@H:?8 E96 AFC492D6[ %96 $|{ r6?E6C A=2?D E@ 4@?E:?F6 D9@H:?8 7:CDE\ 2?5 D64@?5\CF? 7:=>D[ 2=@?8 H:E9 4=2DD:4 >@G:6D 2?5 @E96C DA64:2= 7:=> AC@8C2>>:?8[ H9:=6 8C25F2==J C6?@G2E:?8 E96 6I:DE:?8 DA246 E@ 244@>>@52E6 6IA2?565 @776C:?8D 3J E96 $|{ r6?E6C]k^DA2?mk^Am kAmQ%96 4FCC6?E 4:?6>2 3F:=5:?8 :D :562= 7@C FD :? >2?J H2JD[Q D2:5 2C49:E64E 2?5 3@2C5 >6>36C %C:D9 t?8=2?5 :? E96 C6=62D6] Q(:E9 E9@F89E7F= C6?@G2E:@?D[ :E 42? 4@?E:?F6 D6CG:?8 >@G:68@6CD H9:=6 2=D@ H6=4@>:?8 4@?46CED[ A6C7@C>2?46D[ 4=2DD6D[ >66E:?8D 2?5 4@>>F?:EJ 46=63C2E:@?D]Qk^AmkAmx? 255:E:@? E@ @?8@:?8 7:=> AC@8C2>>:?8[ E96 C6?@G2E65 DA246D 2C6 6IA64E65 E@ 244@>>@52E6 J@FE9 2?5 25F=E 65F42E:@?[ DE286 AC@5F4E:@?D[ =64EFC6D[ 4@?46CED[ 3FD:?6DD 7F?4E:@?D[ C646AE:@?D 2?5 2 4@>>F?:EJ 4@??64E:@?D =@F?86]k^Am Jason Dunovant (540) 981-3324jason.dunovant@roanoke.com 0 comments Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story