Robolights artist buys plots in Desert Hot Springs, expects development to begin in November
Brian BlueskyeRobolights, the quirky and contentious holiday exhibit by artist Kenny Irwin Jr., might have a new home in Desert Hot Springs.
Palm Springs shut down the popular exhibit, which had been staged at the creator's home on Granvia Valmonte for 32 years, in 2019 saying Irwin would need to find a commercial space to continue. The psychedelic collection of scrap items transformed into massive displays under millions of lights drew 60,000 visitors in 2018.
Instead of finding a commercial space in Palm Springs, Irwin has purchased a 10-acre site in Desert Hot Springs behind Cabot's Pueblo Museum off Miracle Hill Road. Records from the Riverside County Assessor's office show Irwin purchased two parcels of land — one 7.5 acres and another 2.5 acres — in June 2019.
Irwin said through his publicist that he hopes to start developing the site in November. At present, the land is home to an abandoned structure and the road leading up to it is blocked to the public.
Irwin paid $350,000 for the properties, according to Brittany Sorrentino, Irwin's director of business development. Irwin was paid $125,000 in 2018 from the city of Palm Springs to help cover the move to a new location.
"I hope to bring people from near and far to experience something unlike they have ever experienced before," Irwin said in a prepared statement to The Desert Sun. "I want to be able to bring the unimaginable to life, and joy to every visitor.”
Another Robolights will open in Detroit as part of an exhibit at the Museum of Contemporary Art in October that will run through May.
Sorrentino said that it's uncertain if the exhibit will debut in Desert Hot Springs in 2020.
The road ahead in Desert Hot Springs
Desert Hot Springs Mayor Scott Matas said he was aware Irwin was interested in moving Robolights to Desert Hot Springs and that he met with him earlier this year. Matas said he advised Irwin that he would have to purchase land outside of a residential area.
"(Irwin) has some big dreams, we'll see how far he gets," Matas said. "He'll go through the same process everyone else does. He'll have to go through the planning commission to put his plans together, but he has a lot of financial support for his project."
Desert Hot Springs Councilman Russell Betts said that he was surprised that Irwin is moving the exhibit to Desert Hot Springs, and added that the city had considered purchasing land in the surrounding area as an expansion for Cabot's Pueblo Museum.
"Anything like that is going to need permitting," Betts said by phone. "That's probably something we'll have to put our head around at city hall and figure out. Neighborhood impact will be a concern, but if it's in an area that doesn't cause a problem, then maybe we have a great new attraction in Desert Hot Springs."
Irene Rodriguez, executive director of Cabot's Pueblo Museum, said she was pleasantly surprised to hear that Robolights might be moving in behind the museum.
"It's another attraction for the community for Desert Hot Springs," Rodriguez said by phone. "As a museum, we'd be willing to collaborate when we can. It's about making the pie bigger and sharing our resources."
Robolights' troubled history in Palm Springs
Irwin began building Robolights at his Granvia Valmonte home in 1986. Over the years, it continued to grow and draw thousands of visitors each year from November to January.
An inspection of the property in 2016 uncovered 10 life-safety, building and fire code violations. The city of Palm Springs filed a lawsuit regarding the code violations and also issued an injunction telling Irwin that the public couldn't step foot on his property in fear of the inflatables blowing off his roof.
Neighbors complained about the noise, light pollution and rubbish left on the streets and on their properties by Robolights visitors.
In November 2018, the city of Palm Springs and Irwin reached an agreement in which Irwin accepted that the exhibit will need to move to a commercial location no less than a quarter-mile from any residence.
Palm Springs Mayor Robert Moon said he was pleased to hear Irwin found a new location for the popular event and that it was in neighboring Desert Hot Springs.
"This will be better for everyone," Moon said by phone. "It'll be better for Kenny, who can grow his event, and it will be good for Desert Hot Springs. It'll be convenient for the people in Palm Springs who enjoy it to take a short drive to see it in its new location."
Before Robolights shut down for its final season in Palm Springs, Irwin said to The Desert Sun that he planned to continue Robolights.
"I have dreams and hopes of creating something bigger and better than ever," he said.
Previous reporting by Christopher Damien and Shane Newell was used in this article.
Desert Sun reporter Brian Blueskye covers arts and entertainment. He can be reached at brian.blueskye@desertsun.com or (760) 778-4617.