The mall owners General Growth Properties (GGP) are slated to put $6 million into the theatre to renovate the decor, and I assume make it accessable for theatre patrons to access the central corridor to exit the theatre at night. We will see how nice they make it. I am pretty confident though that the theatre will bring some life back to a dying mall. It is a shame what has happened there. I have gone to that mall since before I can remember, and I always liked it.
I have not been inside the theatre personally, only a few theatre people have. They are still working on the punch list as we speak. I was supposed to be in on Tue, but it now looks like Friday. I will see what I can do about posting sizes once I get a feel for the place. From what I have seen though from the open doors, it looks great though.
Actually it was supposed to be 11/10, but with the opening of the new one @ 23rd and Cicero in Chicago and all I think it was a timing issue. Plus, the product that comes out on 11/10 is pretty crappy, whereas 11/17 has a new Bond flick and Happy Feet, which I hope does well in general. I will see you there.
I can’t say on the exact date yet, because it is still under construction (finishing and all) but I hope for that or sooner. Opening a mall theatre with holiday product is always a challenge but I think it will do well with the shoppers noticing a theatre there and all. Parking is a concern of mine as well and we will have to see what develops when the place opens.
There are good things planned for the Showplace 12 @ Golf Mill. The theatre will open in the middle of November and we are expecting to take some business from my former employer (Crown Village 18 in Skokie). Yes there will be about 3300 seats. The 4 large theatres will be the largest in the area (until Muvico opens up in Rosemont in Fall 07). I know managers/friends who worked for Golf Glen in it’s CO heyday and it was a decent theatre for a time. The bathrooms always backed up from the restaurants though (I have been told) and they had to shut them down most of the time. Village Theatres could not compete with a full statium theatre 3 blocks away and they have had a reputation of taking older theatres that eventually close. All of their acquisitions from the last 5 years have pretty much closed down. They have the capital to run the business but they choose not the do the right thing and spend the money to fix the theatres. They would rather run them until they close down. Go figure.
I hope that they reopen it, and soon. I am a native of Jefferson Park (next to Portage Park) and when I was by there last week I saw that the front doors (glass) were all uncovered and I could see inside all the way back to the concesssion stand. The inside looked very clean and clearly someone was getting it ready for something. I can say that the concession stand was very small. I vagely remember that theatre when I was a kid back in the 80’s. I saw some kind of cartoon there or something like that. I would love to hear when the theatre will open up again. I am currently out of Chicago, out of state acutally running a 15 screen theatre. When I come back to Chicago again next month to visit all, I would love to see the inside of that place.
They are. Stadium is coming to that theatre, along with a new concession stand.
So you guys like the theatre?!?
The mall owners General Growth Properties (GGP) are slated to put $6 million into the theatre to renovate the decor, and I assume make it accessable for theatre patrons to access the central corridor to exit the theatre at night. We will see how nice they make it. I am pretty confident though that the theatre will bring some life back to a dying mall. It is a shame what has happened there. I have gone to that mall since before I can remember, and I always liked it.
I have not been inside the theatre personally, only a few theatre people have. They are still working on the punch list as we speak. I was supposed to be in on Tue, but it now looks like Friday. I will see what I can do about posting sizes once I get a feel for the place. From what I have seen though from the open doors, it looks great though.
Actually it was supposed to be 11/10, but with the opening of the new one @ 23rd and Cicero in Chicago and all I think it was a timing issue. Plus, the product that comes out on 11/10 is pretty crappy, whereas 11/17 has a new Bond flick and Happy Feet, which I hope does well in general. I will see you there.
I can’t say on the exact date yet, because it is still under construction (finishing and all) but I hope for that or sooner. Opening a mall theatre with holiday product is always a challenge but I think it will do well with the shoppers noticing a theatre there and all. Parking is a concern of mine as well and we will have to see what develops when the place opens.
There are good things planned for the Showplace 12 @ Golf Mill. The theatre will open in the middle of November and we are expecting to take some business from my former employer (Crown Village 18 in Skokie). Yes there will be about 3300 seats. The 4 large theatres will be the largest in the area (until Muvico opens up in Rosemont in Fall 07). I know managers/friends who worked for Golf Glen in it’s CO heyday and it was a decent theatre for a time. The bathrooms always backed up from the restaurants though (I have been told) and they had to shut them down most of the time. Village Theatres could not compete with a full statium theatre 3 blocks away and they have had a reputation of taking older theatres that eventually close. All of their acquisitions from the last 5 years have pretty much closed down. They have the capital to run the business but they choose not the do the right thing and spend the money to fix the theatres. They would rather run them until they close down. Go figure.
I hope that they reopen it, and soon. I am a native of Jefferson Park (next to Portage Park) and when I was by there last week I saw that the front doors (glass) were all uncovered and I could see inside all the way back to the concesssion stand. The inside looked very clean and clearly someone was getting it ready for something. I can say that the concession stand was very small. I vagely remember that theatre when I was a kid back in the 80’s. I saw some kind of cartoon there or something like that. I would love to hear when the theatre will open up again. I am currently out of Chicago, out of state acutally running a 15 screen theatre. When I come back to Chicago again next month to visit all, I would love to see the inside of that place.
That and the Patio.
Ben