Have a news tip for us?
Just email . Ideas for stories, links to interesting articles, and press releases are welcome.
Theaters
-
November 27, 2002
Upcoming Cinema Treasures Hiatus
We also want to let everyone know that Cinema Treasures will be on hiatus during the upcoming holiday season.
Beginning December 16th, we will not be publishing our daily theater preservation news. Of course, if any major preservation alerts occur, we will post them, but otherwise, there will be no news during this time.
Additionally, we’ll continue to add any new theater submissions, though updates may be less frequent than usual.
This will be Cinema Treasures' first official vacation since we began work on our site over 3 years ago, so you can probably imagine we’re relishing a little time off. :)
Worry not, though, Cinema Treasures fans! The site will return in its fully glory during the first full week of the new year, on Monday, January 6th.
Meanwhile, have a terrific holiday and we’ll see you back here on Monday!
0 comments -
November 26, 2002
Bidders Vying For Control Of The Chicago Theatre
The Chicago Tribune recently took an in-depth look at the Chicago Theatre and the companies who have applied with the Chicago Department of Planning and Development to take over the theater and manage it on an ongoing basis.
Because each of the bidders (Chicago Theatre Alliance, TheatreDreams Chicago LLC, and The Entertaiment Group Fund Inc.) have radically different concepts for the future direction of the Chicago, there is great debate about which proposal will bring the most cultural and economic impact to the city of Chicago.
Definitely worth a read, if you have a spare moment. (Note: registration is required to view this article.)
Read the Chicago Tribune piece
(Thanks to Cinema Treasures regular Bryan Krefft for this story!)
-
Glenwood Arts Theatre Reopens
The Glenwood Arts Theatre in Overland Park, Kansas opened to packed houses last weekend. The Fine Arts Group restored the former Metcalf Theatre with items salvaged from the original Glenwood Theatre, including seats and the 40 foot tall marquee sign. The theater will eventually house two more screens and a soda shop.
(Special thanks to Keith LeBrun for keeping us in the loop on this one.)
-
November 22, 2002
More New Theaters!
We’ve just added over a dozen new theaters thanks to Philip Goldberg, Bryan Krefft, Steve Smith, Salvatore Salonia, Bruce Talanian, and Ron Pierce. We currently have over 2,500 U.S. theaters, over 200 each from Canada and the U.K., and hundreds more from another 28 countries.
-
November 15, 2002
Restoration Of Boston’s Old Keith’s Theater To Begin
BOSTON, MA — A $31 million restoration and renovation project at the former Keith’s Memorial is set to begin now that the city has handed a permit to Clear Channel Entertainment. According to the Boston Globe, Clear Channel hopes to begin hosting Broadway productions in the former Keith’s/RKO movie palace by 2004.
Read the Boston Globe article
Read the Boston Business Journal article -
Ramon Theater Vote Upcoming
FROSTPROOF, FL — The Frostproof Chamber of Commerce will vote on whether or not to purchase the old Ramon Theater when the board meets on November 19th. According to The Ledger, the plan to purchase the theater and an adjacent building from owner David Higginbottom is nearly a done deal.
Future plans for the shuttered Ramon include screenings of classic films and live performances. The Ramon and the adjacent Thompson building both need new roofs which will cost roughly $50,000.
The Ramon opened in 1925 for motion pictures and stage shows.
-
Trocadero May Be Restored; Sameric Still Up In The Air
PHILADELPHIA, PA — While plans for the Sameric are still on hold, the Goldenberg Group, which owns the Center City movie palace, is eyeing a joint operation of the Trocadero as a premiere arts venue.
According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the 1870 theater is “on the National Registry of Historic Places and is the oldest Victorian theater still in operation.” It has been a venue for rock concerts since 1986.
Meanwhile, the Sameric/Boyd’s demolition permit expires next month with no movement one way or another in the works. The Goldenberg Group is still discussing ways to revamp and reopen the theater as “multi-purpose entertainment facility.”
The Friends of the Boyd is also working to preserve the former UA movie palace.
(Thanks to Howard Haas for the update!)
-
November 12, 2002
BREAKING NEWS Landmark Theatres Sold To Onex
LOS ANGELES, CA — Landmark Theatres, the largest and most successful art house chain in the United States, has been sold to the Onex Corporation which also owns Loews Cineplex Entertainment.
According to the Business Journal, “the non-binding agreement” calls for Onex to pay roughly “$36.3 million in equity capital, with the rest coming from acquisition financing.” The Los Angeles Times reports the total sale at $80 million.
With the two exhibitors under one corporate roof, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that Landmark Theatres will be operated as a “specialty film division” of LCE. Oaktree Capital, which is selling Landmark to the Onex Corporation, is currently a co-owner of LCE with Onex.
Landmark currently operates 67 theaters with 290 screens including the Oriental, Nuart, Sunshine, and many more Cinema Treasures around the country. There is no word yet on management or operational changes, or of any imminent theater closings.
We’ll keep you posted…
-
Former UA Smithtown Theatre Reopens
SMITHTOWN, NY — The former Smithtown Theatre reopened two weeks ago and is now playing to nearly full houses as a for-profit performing arts center. Last operated by United Artists, the Smithtown underwent a three year, $1 million restoration effort before reopening on October 26th.
According to Newsday, the Smithtown originally opened as a movie house in 1932 and was designed by the same architects who worked on the Empire State Building and Radio City Music Hall.
The article also cites a trend on Long Island, and in particular Suffolk County, of restoring old movie theaters with recent efforts in Patchogue and Westhampton Beach. However, the Art Deco Suffolk Theatre, located in nearby Riverhead, is still facing an uncertain future.
Other Suffolk County Cinema Treasures include the Sag Harbor Cinema and the UA Southampton.
-
November 4, 2002
Vienna Helps Save Two Historic Art Houses
VIENNA, AUSTRIA — According to ScreenDaily.com, “The city of Vienna has agreed to subsidise the operation of two historic art house cinemas that were threatened with closure after they ran into financial difficulties.”
The Vienna International Film Festival will take over the 736-seat Gartenbau cinema, while the Austrian Film Archive will operate the “historic and architecturally important” Metro Cinema.
The city will also help finance the future of these two movie houses which were put in jeopardy after the opening of nearby multiplexes.