Openings

  • October 9, 2009

    14-screen multiplex opens in Lynchburg, VA

    LYNCHBURG, VA — It has been nearly two decades since a new theater opened in Lynchburg, but the River Ridge Stadium 14 has opened its doors, taking over a space previously occupied by a Value City department store.

    “It’s a type of theater that’s not available on the market right now, so that’s really exciting,” she said.

    The 57,000-square-foot theater has stadium seating, with each row elevated on risers, in order to give viewers an unobstructed view.

    The most recent theater to come to Lynchburg previously was the Carmike location at the Plaza, which opened in 1991.

    Further details at News 2.

  • October 8, 2009

    New multiplex slated for Upper Pottsgrove

    UPPER POTTSGROVE, PA – -Carmike Theaters has announced its intention to build a 14-screen theater as part of a retail development in Pottsgrove Township, about forty miles northwest of Philadelphia. It is scheduled to open by the end of 2010.

    The all-digital entertainment complex will be part of the 34-acre Commerce Corner development planned by King of Prussia developer Sapphire Development Companies at Route 100 and North State Street.

    Carmike’s 2,300-seat state-of-the-art multiplex will be the anchor tenant in the shopping center, which will also include retail space, a bank and free-standing restaurants, according to Dale Hurst, Carmike’s director of marketing.

    Read more in thePottstown Mercury.

  • October 2, 2009

    Castle Theatre to be operated by non-profit group

    MANCHESTER, IA — Fridley Theaters has turned over ownership of the Castle Theatre to a non-profit organization, Castle Theater, Inc., which is making making repairs to the theater built in 1935. The group plans to re-open it in October.

    The movie theater generated little revenue during its ownership, said Brian Fridley, vice president of Fridley Theaters. Fridley said entertainment attractions in nearby Cedar Rapids, Dubuque and Waterloo took a toll on the theater.

    “We thought it would be best if we found a group that would run it locally,” Fridley said. “Having this private group running the theater … the theater would be able to operate for years to come.”

    Read more in The Telegraph Herald.

  • Orleans Theatre re-opening

    ORLEANS, IN — It has been a four year struggle to save the Orleans Theatre from structural collapse. Nevertheless, the theater has been saved and will run three fundraising events in October. The theatre will then permanently re-open in spring of 2010.

  • October 1, 2009

    After millions in renovations, Cleveland’s Capitol re-opens on October 2

    CLEVELAND, OH — Another classic theater will re-open soon in Cleveland. The 1921 Capitol Theater, will re-open as a three-screen theater to be operated by Jon Forman’s Cleveland Cinemas, which operates the Shaker Square Cinemas and the Cedar-Lee multiplex. The theater, closed since 1985, will be part of the Gordon Square Arts district. which will include two live performance venues for the Cleveland Public Theater and the Near West Theater.

    This elaborate renovation project connecting Cleveland’s past with its future actually succeeded. The new Capitol, at 1390 West 65th Street just north of Detroit Avenue, opens next weekend.

    For the city’s cultural and nightlife scene, the theater represents something film fans have been requesting for years: a movie house on the West Side that’s convenient for Clevelanders, within striking distance of Lakewood and Rocky River, and one that might offer the independent and foreign fare available for decades at the Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights.

    Read the whole article, including a picture a video clip at Cleveland.com.

  • September 30, 2009

    Flagship Cinemas opens theater in Mechanicsburg

    MECHANICSBURG, PA — The the former AMC Hampden Center 8 cnema has been given an extensive makeover and is re-opening as the latest theater in the Flagship Cinema chain. Two of the auditoriums are premium screens, with vibrators built into leather seats that activate when explosions occur during the film being shown.

    Last weekend, however, Flagship Cinemas brought movies back to the weekend routine of Hampden Township residents. Flagship Cinemas, a regionally owned movie theater company, has refurbished the former AMC Hampden Center 8 theater and opened its doors last week to moviegoers.

    “We have not selected a grand opening date yet, but we obtained occupancy last Friday,” said Paul Wenger, vice president of Flagship Cinemas. “We considered it a soft opening — essentially whoever decided to drive by and see us open showed up. We’ll be officially working on a marketing campaign for this weekend.”

    Read more in The Sentinel.

  • September 29, 2009

    Marcus Theaters opening deluxe multiplex in Omaha

    OMAHA, NB – A high class, five-screen multiplex will open in November in the greater Omaha area. To be called the Midtown Cinema at Midtown Crossing, the amenities will include a baby grand piano in the lobby area, in-theater dining, and a cocktail lounge.

    Read more in the Business Journal of Milwaukee.

  • September 28, 2009

    Columbus area couple take up challenge of running a single screener

    COLUMBUS, OH — The oldest theater in Franklin County, Ohio will be reopening in stages soon. Formerly the Drexel Grandview in Columbus, Ohio, now to be simply the Grandview, co-owners Jennifer Stancel and her husband David Nedrow will be seeking to show films films that typically do not play in towns such as Columbus. The theater will feature actual 35mm projection.

    Regular programming — a mix of “classic, international and independent films,” according to Nedrow — is set to begin Nov. 6.

    The theater will be “75 percent” finished when the 1920s movie house opens to the public Friday. Nedrow and Stancel are billing the weekend as a “last chance, first chance” event — the last chance to see some original decorations uncovered by construction and the first chance to see changes that have already been made, including new bathrooms and a rebuilt concession stand.

    Read the whole story in the Columbus Dispatch.

  • Port Richey’s former Cinema Grill@Embassy 6 re-opens as bargain cinema

    PORT RICHEY, FL — Chanel Casteel and Jason Dover have re-opened the former Cinema Grill@Embassy 6 as a bargain movie multiplex, rechristening it the Cinema 6.

    Just like many a character that has filled its screens, the theater in the Embassy Crossing shopping center, on U.S. 19 just north of Embassy Boulevard, is back for a sequel. Its new proprietors have spiffed up the place, and it will soon have a new name.

    “We’re changing the name to Cinema 6; it won’t have any association with Cinema Grill,” said Chanel Casteel, who along with Jason Dover, reopened the movie house Aug. 22.

    Read more at the Suncoast News.

  • September 24, 2009

    New theater in Davidson under construction

    DAVIDSON, NC — Davidson has not had an operating movie theater in decades, but a new four-screener will open soon in the Sadler Square shopping center and will be called the Our Town Cinemas. The theater operators are asking the public, businesses and other organizations for suggestions and ideas for the new multiplex’s programming.

    Our Town Cinemas announced Aug. 19 that it planned to convert vacant space at Sadler Square into Davidson’s first hometown movie theater in decades. The theater will occupy the corner of the shopping center next to The Egg at Davidson that once housed a dollar store.

    Plans call for a 4-screen, first-run theater with table seating and an expanded concession stand menu.

    Read more in the Davidson News:
    http://davidsonnews.net/2009/09/18/construction-begins-on-towns-new-movie-theater/