Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Theaters
-
October 30, 2008
Developer wants $6 million city loan to build cinema
ORLANDO, FL — A developer is trying to convince the city to loan him $6 million to turn an unfinished downtown multiplex into a “cinema grill.”
This would be in addition to an already agreed upon $3.5 million paid over 10 years to help keep the theater operating.
City officials are convinced a theater is key to the economic health of the downtown area and are researching the proposal.
1 comment -
October 27, 2008
MN Small-town theaters in danger
HARMONY, MN — This article in the Post-Bulletin looks at the waning business at small town southeast Minnesota theaters like the Jem.
Not long ago, a line of cars parked on Main Street in Harmony on a Friday night meant a blockbuster movie was playing at the JEM Movie Theatre.
No longer. Attendance is lagging at the family-owned, one-screen theater, owner Paul Haugerud said.
“A lot more families must be going camping or leaving town for the weekend,” Haugerud said.
-
October 21, 2008
Old mall cinema reopens
VICKSBURG, MS — Now under the Wilcox chain, the Pemberton Square 4 is coming back.
Lights, cameras and perhaps a little action will return to the Vicksburg entertainment scene after a nearly two-year absence.
A four-screen movie theater will return to Pemberton Square mall, with a grand opening set for mid-November, a statement from Pemberton general manager Renee Williams said Friday.
To be managed by Wilcox Theatres, the new cinema will be housed in the former Pemberton Cinema 4, which closed in December 2006. Renovations to the old theater space will involve the addition of plush seating and wall-to-wall screens projecting films amplified by DTS Surround Sound. The lobby and concession areas are also slated for enhancements, Williams said.
Read more in theVickburg Post.
-
Classic Cinemas takes over North Riverside
NORTH RIVERSIDE, IL — In what can be only perceived as good news, Classic Cinemas has taken over the North Riverside Theatre in North Riverside Mall from Village Theaters. Classic Cinemas, a chain well-regarded on this site, will re-open the cinema on October 24, 2008 after doing some renovations. The renovations will include a new box office, remodeled rest rooms, and a new concession stand.
The North Riverside was opened in 1990 by Cineplex-Odeon and overshadowed the nearby General Cinemas' Harlem-Cermak Theatre, causing it to close. In 1998, the North Riverside became a Loews' Theatre because of the Loews-Cineplex Merger. When Loews merged with AMC in 2006, the theatre briefly became an AMC Theatre, but soon was taken over by Village Entertainment. AMC was forced to divest some cinemas because of the merger.
-
October 20, 2008
Monarch Theatre update
MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA, CANADA —The Monarch Theatre has be purchased by the City Centre Development Agency (CCDA) and is currently in the process of creating a committee to help with operations, and restoration, and a friends group to help raise funds.
Our current plan will see the Monarch run as a movie theatre 5 days a week, and be available for special bookings – weddings, business presentations, dance recitals, concerts, and so on.
We look forward to the ongoing support of the community to help up bring back a piece of history, and to keep it running for years to come.
-
October 16, 2008
Cameo opens again!
ORLANDO, FL — The Greater Orlando Actors Theatre has made its home in the old Cameo Theatre in Orlando’s Colonialtown neighborhood. The company is launching its season with Tennesee Williams' “A Streetcar Named Desire,” using local professional actors. An ambitious season in the new venue is planned.
The Cameo, built and opened by Florida State Theatres in 1940, was only open as a single screen movie theatre for a very few years. The building had been converted to office space, and used for that purpose for many, many years. The beautiful art deco exterior and original marquee remain.
-
October 3, 2008
Arcada Theater buys restaurant
ST. CHARLES, IL — The owner of the historic Arcada Theater recently purchased nearby restaurant 18 North Espereienza and renamed it the Onesti Dinner Club so it could offer combined dinner-movie packages.
The dinner club is a church-turned-restaurant which still features stained-glass windows and hardwood floors as well as a castle-like facade.
Patrons have suggested for years that the theater put together some kind of package.
“I hadn’t been looking for a restaurant to buy, said Ron Onesti. "It just kind of happened.
You can read more at theKane County Chronicle.
-
September 24, 2008
Rose Marine Theater documentary
FORT WORTH, TX — The Rose Marine Theater showed a documentary on the history of the theatre last weekend.
Also, view www.asenseofplace.tv for the documentary’s official webiste! The hope is that it airs on our local PBS station at some point.
-
September 22, 2008
Newark gets cash to save ailing movie theater
NEWARK, NJ — In an unusual move, the city of Newark, NJ is pledging $650,000 to keep its only downtown movie complex open. Apparently, the six-screen Newark Screens serves a mostly minority audience and is located near several housing projects.
The money will be used to offset losses until a new owner or a new use is found. The theatre closed earlier this month after failing to pay its 30 employees.
-
September 12, 2008
New home for Toronto festival at Bell Lightbox
TORONTO, ON, CANADA — The Toronto International Film Festival, one of North America’s major annual cimena events, has announced that a permanent home for the festival’s offices and some of its year-round programs will be constructed at the corner of King and John Streets in downtown Toronto.
Scheduled to open in 2009 and to be called the Bell Lightbox, the five-story, 150,000 square foot structure will include five cinemas, two galleries, three learning studios, a film reference library, and a retail store.
The homepage for the Bell Lightbox project, showing a number of the architect’s sketches, is:
here.