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Openings
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April 7, 2011
Pickford Film Center opens new facility
BELLINGHAM, WA — The non-profit Pickford Film Center celebrated the opening of its new twin-auditorium theater on Bay Street on April 7. The environmentally-sensitive cinema is capable of both 35mm and digital projection; the Center focuses on presenting art, independent, and avant-garde films. The Center’s current home on Cornwall Avenue will close at least temporarily, but may become a digital projection cinema under a different name.
The arts organization began renovating the building in 2007, continuing to raise money for the project as the work progressed.
Renovations included a seismic upgrade and adding 5,000 square feet of usable space to the basement for future expansion, including a film school.
There is more in The Bellingham Herald.
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March 24, 2011
Texas Theatre re-opens in Seguin
SEGUIN, TX — After 13 years of fundraising and two million dollars of restoration, the Stephen and Mary Birch Texas Theatre opened its doors for public viewing on Sunday, March 6, 2011. The restoration of the 1929 theater has recreated the domed, star-studded ceiling, gilded lanterns and romantic murals in the 350-seat main auditorium of the theatre. Expansion into an adjacent building has created new restroom, rehearsal and reception areas.
Nearly 200 funders, corporations and private supporters from all over the region have sponsored elements in the elaborate atmospheric movie palace. A cornerstone gift from the Stephen and Mary Birch Foundation brought in one million dollars. The San Antonio Area Foundation sponsored the stage and the San Antonio Conservation Society sponsored the restoration of the box office exterior.
Raising funds for the restoration and expansion of this historic landmark has taken 13 years since the Seguin Conservation Society purchased the theatre in 1996. Now re-opened, the group expects an annual attendance of 24,600 for performances such as live music, folkloric dances, community recitals, university stage productions, film festivals, and dinner theater shows, all to be accommodated in the 350-seat facility.
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March 23, 2011
Renovated Oxon Hill theater to open in April
OXON HILL, MD — The former AMC Rivertowne 12 Cinemas will reopen on April 1 after a thorough renovation by Chicago-based Spotlight Amusements which currently operates the Eastpointe Movie 10 in Baltimore.
Rivertowne Cinemas 12 is owned by Chicago-based Spotlight Amusements, which also owns Eastpoint Movies 10 in Baltimore. Ron Rooding, Spotlight’s director of operations, said the theater will seat about 3,000 people with individual screening room capacities ranging from 150 to 600. At least three of the theaters will feature stadium-style seating and 3-D capabilities, Rooding said.
The Rivertowne theater will employ a staff of up to 50, with about 90 percent of those employees local residents, Johnson said.
There is more at Gazette.net.
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March 15, 2011
New art theatre to open in April in downtown Austin
AUSTIN, TX — A new quad art cinema is scheduled to on April 29 in downtown Austin’s Second Street district. The Violet Crown’s four all-digital intimate screening rooms will all have stadium seating with fold-out table trays for patrons who can purchase food, drinks, and cocktails from the service offered in the theater’s lounge.
The Violet Crown, on the second floor of the AMLI on 2nd apartment building, will specialize in art, independent, documentary and international films.
Banowsky says that will differentiate it from the Alamo Ritz on East Sixth Street, which shows both mainstream and independent films. Austin’s only other theater featuring art and independent films is the Regal Arbor Cinema in Northwest Austin.
There is more in this story from the Austin Statesman.
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March 10, 2011
University Cinema to reopen
MOREHEAD, KY — The Chakeres University Cinema will re-open in April 2011 as a coffee shop and book store. The building was purchased last year by EDG Entertainment, LLC and has undergone renovation including new levels of flooring and all new lighting. The screen and stage remain intact, with plans for live entertainment and or movie screenings.
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February 25, 2011
14 Screen multiplex to open in Erbil
ERBIL, IRAQ — Cozy up to the Idea of Stadium-like Viewing with Empire Cinemas. A unique event is about to unfold in Iraq, where for the first time ever a cinema multiplex will open in the recently constructed “Family Mall”, the region’s newest shopping and leisure destination. “This is a one of a kind project,” says Gino Haddad, C.F.O / Business Development Director for Empire Cinemas. The leading cinema circuit and movies distributor in Lebanon and the Gulf will spearhead the group into Iraq, hosting 14 state of the art screens, equipped with 3D digital projectors and DTS digital surround sound systems. Taking a cultural page out of a glorious history of the country, Empire Cinemas designed very spacious theaters with stadium-like architecture, which can boast more than 2500 seats, including an exquisite section for the VIP. The large multiplex lobby will be adorned with comfortable lounge couches, as well as a sizable concession area catering to the whim of all movie fans; children and adults; offering a wide array of refreshment and snack categories from flavored popcorn and sizzling cheese nachos to imported American chocolate delights.
Hollywood blockbuster movies are scheduled to be released concurrently with U.S and European launch dates, while Arabic and commercial Indian movies' enthusiasts can regularly rejoice in top selections on offer.
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A new Movie Haus to open in Laurel
LAUREL, MT — The town of Laurel in Montana will again have its own movie theater, and like the last one that operated there, it will be known as the Movie Haus. The original Laurel Movie Haus burned down in the 1990’s and Laurel has been without its own cinema ever since. The new theater will be a triplex.
The space for the three-screen theater had been a J.C. Penney store and most recently a dollar store. The Cookes are renovating the entire interior, doing much of the construction and decorating by themselves.
This will be the only movie theater in Laurel and the owners hope to capitalize on visitors from more rural areas. “We’re hoping to bring people from Columbus, Joliet, Bridger, and all down the valley. They come here to shop too so we hope to be part of that experience,” Riley said.
There is more at KULR8.
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February 2, 2011
The Movie Palace Closing
HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA — The Movie Palace closing Thursday Feb. 3rd after six years of operation under its current name. The theatre dates back to the 1930s and operated formerly as the Lyceum and the Mountain.
Owner Dale Barker announced the closing in a news release, but didn’t return calls to say why.
“After nearly 6 years, The Movie Palace will be forced to close their doors this Thursday, Feb 3rd,” he wrote. “It is important for everyone to know that our closure was not from providing the best value in town, or the lack of support from Hamiltonians. We far exceeded single-screen expectations, along with occasionally having greater attendance than the local multiplex.”
Read more in The Spec.
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January 26, 2011
Liberty Theater reopens
CAMAS, WA — A cornerstone of the neighborhood, the Liberty Theater will reopen in March.
Opening the doors of the historic Liberty Theater is a big win for Downtown Camas and local merchants, helping push the downtown as a ‘destination’ for the entire community and surrounding areas. “The Liberty has always been at the heart of our Downtown with theater goers taking advantage of the many great restaurants, merchants and services we have here in Camas. We are very excited and welcome this catalyst to Downtown’s revitalization,” commented Carolyn Mercury, Downtown Camas Association President.
Read more at the official website.
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January 13, 2011
Cinema 4 in Newport shuttered
NEWPORT, TN — The Newport Cinema 4 was closed as of January 7. The only operating cinema in Cocke County, the theater opened in in the mid-1990’s and was once operated by the O'Neil theater chain. The owners are hoping that a new operator can be found.
In Hooper’s opinion, the cinema closed after facing several different obstacles. He said the theater’s overhead kept getting more expensive. The economy impacted ticket sales. He also believes more stockholders were needed in the beginning. But overall, Judge Hooper feels the theater reached its goal of entertaining the community.
There is more with video at WBIR.com.