This was the location where Steve Jobs launched the original Mac and continued to do so until the release of the M4 Macmini, but the famous Flint Center was eventually demolished. It's made famous by Steve Jobs when he released the original Macintosh in 1984. It is famous for hosting major Apple events until 2014 and launching the Apple Watch.
Later, Apple needed more space, and later, it had its own huge venue at Apple Park. But Apple chose the Flint center for a reason, and it predated the Mac by several years.
Three years ago actually. Because the Flint Center is also where Apple held its first shareholder meeting as a public company, De Anza College's Flint Center auditorium needed to accommodate all new shareholders.
That was 1981, and while the size of the audience dictated or at least limited venue choices, the Flint Center had the advantage. At the time, Apple was located at 20863 Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino, just half a mile from the center of Flint.
According to various sources, including the History Digging Blog , this shareholder meeting was not a pleasant one to say the least. Some even said that after being interrupted by everyone, Jobs departed from his prepared speech and delivered a speech about respect for betrayal. Although it's unclear who betrayed whom, it didn't take long for Jobs to be pushed out of Macintosh.
Perhaps by 1984, Jobs had some emotional distance, but he had no more physical distance. At this time, Apple operates out of 10260 Bandley Road in Cupertino, less than a mile from central Flint.
The event on January 24, 1984, has been seen by many on YouTube, quoted countless times, and was one of the scenes featured in the 2015 Aaron Sorkin movie "Steve Jobs." The film started shooting on January 29, 2015 and lasted several days, 31 years after the real incident occurred.
But it turns out that those 31 years have not helped the Flint Center become popular. A 2015 study found that the center was booked only 17 to 24 percent of the time over the past few years, SiliconValley.com reported.
Even so, no more than seven events each year attract more than 2,000 visitors. With a capacity of 2,400 people, almost a quarter of the audience is empty even at most large events.
Given that the building is in such a state of disrepair that it will require an estimated $50 million to restore, it's obvious what will happen next. While it wasn't all plain sailing for the Flint Center - musicians protested over its acoustics - it ended in 2019.
Or, at least, that's when the owners decided to close Flint Center and start something new. The site has been abandoned since then, but now the center is being demolished.
According to the plan, it will be replaced by a new building called the Creative Arts Building. The famous stage is gone forever, but at least it won't be turned into a parking lot.