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Theaters
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February 6, 2006
Grand Theater to be Sold and Reopened
DU QUOIN, IL — The Grand Theater, which has been closed since August 24th when owner Bill Ivy had a stroke, will be sold and reopened according to this story in The Southern Illinoisan. This is one of the few independent theaters in the region as well as one of the last old-time movie theaters. The new owner, who is yet unnamed, plans to continue the theaters low-cost family friendly movies and to make improvements to the 1940s era theater.
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Possible New Downtown Theaters Coming
YONKERS, NY — New movie theaters were mentioned yesterday in the Phase 1 portion of a major announced downtown renewal plan encompassing the Chicken Island city owned parking lot. Developer Louis Capelli had brought Regal into his nearby New Rochelle, NY New Roc Center project several years ago. That theater is the most successful in the Regal chain.
It will be interesting to see which chains become interested. The official press release appears in yonkerstribune.com but today’s edition of thejournalnews.com makes no mention of the theaters.
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January 30, 2006
Loews/AMC Merger Now Official
When you go to http://www.enjoytheshow.com now, it takes you to a combined Loews/AMC website.
The former Loews theatres, in particular the ones in Manhattan that I checked, are listed as being AMC but aren’t showing up yet in the listings. This was at 9:35am Eastern time Friday 1/27/06. So it must be a matter of time until they get loaded in there. Will check back later in the day.
Any word on if signage changed at the theaters themselves?
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January 27, 2006
Group Buys Penn Theatre; Seek to Restore, Reopen
PLYMOUTH, MI — The Friends of the Penn, a group of local investors made up of seven area business people, have purchased the Penn Theatre in downtown Plymouth, which has been closed since 2004, for $1.2 million, according to this story in the Detroit News. With the purchase complete, the group now intends to turn its attention to raising an additional $1 million to restore and reopen the 1941 Art Moderne theater located on Penniman Avenue.
The Friends of the Penn plan on using the theater to screen second-run movies as well as hosting live performances, including the Plymouth Symphony Orchestra. One of the investors, Donald Soenen, a Plymouth resident since 1969, says, “In Plymouth this is a big deal. There is tremendous support for the arts here…the real reason all these people have gotten involved is because they also believe this theater should be preserved because it will be a benefit to the community.”
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January 25, 2006
Old theater photos on display in Yonkers
YONKERS, NY — The Grinton Will Library, 1500 Central Park Avenue, in Yonkers has a few pictures of the former RKO Proctors and Loew’s theaters, both located on South Broadway in downtown Yonkers. Loews later became Brandt’s Yonkers. The display is titled “Yonkers Then and Now”, and features many interesting photos as well.
FYI: The photos belonging to the Yonkers Planning Dept would be available for copying under the Freedom of Information Law in the event you like them after seeing them on display. Most others belong to the Yonkers Historical Society which may sell reproductions.
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January 23, 2006
Matt Dillon Supports Pelham Picture House
PELHAM, NY — “It’s really heartbreaking when you see old movie theaters torn down,” 41-year-old actor Matt Dillon said at a fundraiser for the historic Pelham Picture House. He was quoted in a story by Rebecca Baker Erwin that appeared Sunday, January 22 in Gannett’s Westchester County paper, The Journal News.
Dillon was back home in Westchester Saturday night as the main attraction at a sold-out event which brought 900 people to the Hilton Rye Town to support the nonprofit film center. Dillon grew up in Mamaroneck, where he was discovered in middle school.
The fundraiser’s goal was to raise $150,000 to create a three-screen theater that could show a variety of films. It was sponsored by Picture House Regional Film Center, which bought the movie venue November.
More details can be found in the full report.
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January 19, 2006
Ioka Theatre For Sale (Again)
EXETER, NH — The Ioka Theatre is apparently for sale. Exeter is a thriving town but Regal has five screens in Portsmouth and I don’t know how many screens are nearby at Hamptons. Here’s the realestate link.
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January 12, 2006
Charlotte’s Carolina Theatre Sold to Developer
CHARLOTTE, NC — The Charlotte City Council voted January 9 to sell the long shuttered Carolina Theatre to the Atlanta developer Camden Management Partners. They propose a luxury high rise condominium project of up to 125 units built in front of and above the existing theater. The vacant corner lot in front of the auditorium should see the return of the recently dismantled theater façade incorporated into the new structure.
The theater will be privately owned and operated with renovation money coming from a combination of sources – about $4.5 million in property taxes generated from the new condos, a $1 million developer contribution and at least another $2 million to be raised privately by a local preservation group. Drawings of the new tower have not yet been released and programming of the theater space remains unclear.
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Grant Programs For Historic Theatres
Once again a New Year has arrived, and as we go into the new year, a new opportunity for fresh grant money to restore your historical theater will become available, begining in January of 2006. Grants are available for preservation and/or conservation work on nationally significant intellectual and cultural artifacts and nationally significant historic structures and sites that include historical theaters.
Grants are awarded through a competitive process and require a dollar non-federal match, which can be cash, donated services, or use of equipment. The grant and the non-federal match must be expended during the grant period (generally 2 to 3 years) to execute your theater restoration project. The minimum grant request for historic property projects is $250,000 federal share. The maximum grant request for all projects is $1 million federal share. The Grants Panel may, at its discretion, award less than the minimum grant request.
As a Performing Art Centers Of Indiana client, one of their consultants will set up an appointment with your organization, to discuss the 2006 application grants package process and determine if your organization qualifies under the grants criteria guidelines. Their consulting firm will then assist you with the application grants package and help determine your organizations financial and restoration budget needs, for your project. To get started today, log onto their web site at www.onstagein.com to get your grants package and application process, implemented !
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January 9, 2006
Utah Theater Cancels ‘Brokeback Mountain’
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — A Utah movie theater has decided not to show the film “Brokeback Mountain,” according to an Associated Press report. The film was supposed to open Friday at the Megaplex at Jordan Commons.