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Topic: What's the latest theatre to close or open you have heard about? (part 2)
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Martin McCaffery
Film God
Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 08-19-2013 11:16 AM
A year old, but this may be happening at military bases all across the country
Maxwell is in Montgomery, AL
quote:
Movies "reel' to a halt on base Oct. 1
Posted 9/21/2012 Updated 9/24/2012 Email story Print story
by Rebecca Burylo
Air University Public Affairs
9/21/2012 - MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, AL -- Movies reel to a stop at the Maxwell-Weaver Theater Oct.1. Michael Allen, director of the 42nd Civil Engineer Squadron, who is in charge of all buildings on base, said there has been no decision so far concerning the future use of the theater.
The options are renovation for meetings and conferences or complete demolition. Though the building is old and holds a "potential historical eligibility" status, Allen added that the building could still be demolished. However, the process for such a decision could take six to nine months.
Lorenzo Salgado, Army and Air Force Exchange Service general manager for the Maxwell and Fort Rucker AAFES stores, is head of the daily operations of such facilities as the theater and exchanges. AAFES operates the theater and is responsible for the projection equipment, while the building itself is assigned to the host command.
Salgado said the decision to close the theater was an AAFES corporate decision based on the expense of adapting to the recent digitization of the movie industry. In 2008, the industry began converting over to digital projectors to accommodate the movies being released in digital formats.
"The industry is quickly converting to all digital, and by mid-2013, 35 mm film will no longer be produced. The cost of conversion to a digital system was not economically sound, based on the theater's patronage and earnings," said Salgado.
"We have a responsibility to protect our Airmen's money." The theater currently uses a 35 mm projection system, referring to the width of the film. Up until a few years ago, with the introduction of digitization, this type of film projection was the only format used in commercial movie theaters.
Also, contributing to the decision to close the theater was the limited number of sales and very few patrons attending the theater. "The patronage at the theater was limited," Salgado said. For some viewings, there were as few as two patrons. The attendance varied based on the popularity of the movie." Until October, movies will continue to show at regular times on Fridays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Organizations wishing to use the facility should contact the civil engineering squadron. The building currently housing the theater was originally dedicated to Maj. Gen. Walter Reed Weaver, (1885-1944), from the United States Army.
Weaver served as commanding officer at Maxwell Field during Alabama's Great Flood of 1929.
http://www.maxwell.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123319136
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Bobby Henderson
"Ask me about Trajan."
Posts: 10973
From: Lawton, OK, USA
Registered: Apr 2001
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posted 08-19-2013 01:38 PM
A little more news about a new theater proposed for the west side of Lawton, OK:
Development Co plans addition to Lawton movie theater
quote: Kim McConnell, The Lawton Constitution
A development company planning a movie complex in northwest Lawton has changed the size of its proposed theater, so a change in the site plan that had to be approved by city officials.
Anthony Properties reached an agreement with the City Council in late April to buy two city-owned tracts totaling 29.5 acres, located at Northwest 67th Street and Rogers Lane, for $2.5 million, with plans to build a movie theater complex on the smaller of the two tracts and keep the larger tract on the corner for future retail development. Tract one, 17.93 acres zoned C-3 Planned Community Shopping Center District, initially was appraised for $3.768 million, while tract two (where the movie theater will be located), containing 11.57 acres zoned C-1 Local Commercial District, was appraised at $1.66 million.
In June, the City Planning Commission approved a Use Permitted on Review (UPOR) request to allow the movie theater on the C-1 site. C-1 is the most restrictive of commercial zoning categories and a movie theater is permitted there only under UPOR, meaning prior approval by the commission (zoning classifications contain specific uses which are allowed without city approval).
UPOR requirements also specify a binding site plan, which details exactly what will be placed on a tract. Any significant changes to that site plan mean the applicant must return to the planning commission for prior approval before the changes may be implemented.
That's what happened Thursday, when Anthony Properties submitted a new site plan with its new UPOR application. City zoning codes give authority on UPOR requests to the Planning Commission, meaning the proposal doesn't have to go to the City Council for approval.
13 screens planned
Community Development Director Richard Rogalski said Anthony Properties is proposing a larger facility: What had been a 12-screen, 46,692-square-foot complex with 2,504 seats is now proposed for a 13-screen, 55,063-square-foot complex with 2,844 seats and a larger parking lot.
Rogalski, noting the complex will provide "a great venue for the City of Lawton," said the changes to the original site plan were significant enough to bring back to the Planning Commission because it represented an "intensification" of use.
It's just a guess, but it sounds like the previous floor plan of this theater was a conventional 12-plex. They're probably adding a premium priced big screen theater. If Carmike is the company who will operate the theater that 13th screen will likely be a "Big D" theater. I'm not sure how that premium auditorium will be equipped, but my guess is it may have a dual projector setup and Auro 11.1 sound. Carmike has started putting Auro 11.1 in some of its Big D houses. The Barco branding there could also extend to the projectors being used. Again: all speculation on my part. I'd prefer a Dolby Atmos setup if it was my choice to make.
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Mike Rivest
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 185
From: Montréal QC Canada
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 09-25-2013 03:16 PM
CinéStarz St. Basile (Montréal) closed on September 26th, 2013 ![[puke]](graemlins/puke.gif)
Article in French at http://www.hebdosregionaux.ca/monteregie/2013/09/18/le-cinema-ferme-ses-portes
Here it is in the Queen's English as translated by Google
Blow for moviegoers of Saint-Basile-le-Grand and the surrounding area. The CinéStarz located in the Ethier Centre on Laurier Boulevard, will close on September 26. The film, which employs more than a dozen workers, must give way to a sports center.
It is the center manager, president of Trust Ethier, Michel Ethier, who took this decision.
"He told us the news last week," says the owner of cinemas CinéStarz Bruce Gerber. "It's sad. I have invested more than $ 500,000 last year for digital cameras and this is what happens today. "
Mr. Gerber has 5 other cinemas discount in Quebec and Ontario, expressed surprise at how to make the owner of the center.
"It is true that our lease had expired more than a year. But I made many calls to the owner for several months without success. "
Unprofitable
The spokesman Trust Ethier, Sylvain Bonneau, contradicts these statements. "He had no lease for several years. The rent was so modest that it was no longer profitable. "
The film, which opened its doors in the '90s, had closed a dozen years later. It was not until May 2007 that the owner of the center, Michel Ethier, had managed to find a tenant interested in operating the seven theaters.
A business decision
Mr. Bonneau was particularly unhappy with the closure of the only cinema in town. "We sincerely apologize for what happens," says one who is also CEO of Furniture Ethier. "The cinema was a dream for Mr. Ethier and he never wanted to just disappear. It was he who helped restart after the collapse of 2007. "
Mr. Bonneau is deplorable read disparaging comments on Facebook says that it is reluctantly that the company had to make this decision. "With the fierce competition in the furniture market, we had to act to protect our investments. The movie was definitely not profitable for several years. We needed an area suitable for a real furniture store. "
The company will invest more than $ 1.5 million in Ethier Centre to transform it into a larger furniture store with a separate entrance. The location of the movie will be transformed into multi-purpose center.
"It was our way of doing something for the youth, a completely renovated location where there will be gymnastics, trampoline and Zumba."
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Steve Kraus
Film God
Posts: 4094
From: Chicago, IL, USA
Registered: May 2000
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posted 09-28-2013 08:57 PM
Holiday Star Theatre, Park Forest IL, closed as of September 5 with the curious tweet: "The Holiday Star Theater will not be open due to a worker strike. We thank you all for your patronage." The web page says "The Holiday Star Theater will be closed until Monday, September 9th, 2013 Sorry for the inconvience."
This was a 1950 single screen with balcony (and cry room!) in an outdoor Chicago suburban shopping mall called the Holiday Theater. Over the years, it's been the Park Forest, the Centre Cinema, back to Park Forest, and most recently Holiday Star, which seems to be both an homage to the original name as well as the former name of a live venue over in Merrillville, Indiana. It's been a subrun / 2nd run house for years, once run by Classic Cinemas. Subdivided into 2 downstairs, 2 upstairs, then a 5th added in former store space under the balcony.
Two observations: An operator who cannot afford to change the signage to his/her chosen name is unlikely to be able to afford digital. (Gosh, maybe they should have left the name alone.)
And that they left so quickly there wasn't even time to change the marquee to the traditional "CLOSED FOR REMODELING" lie.
Guess "FUITVALE STATION" (sic) will not be showing.
Previously serviced by Mark G. And previously painted by an all-female crew called "Help Me Rhonda!"
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Martin McCaffery
Film God
Posts: 2481
From: Montgomery, AL
Registered: Jun 99
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posted 11-08-2013 10:47 AM
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/housingcomplex/2013/11/07/ten-screen-movie-theater-coming-to-noma/
Ten-Screen Movie Theater Coming to NoMa
Posted by Aaron Wiener on Nov. 7, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Landmark Theatres is planning to open a 10-screen movie theater in NoMa, with an anticipated opening in fall 2016.
The cinema will be part of the Capitol Point development by the Chevy Chase, Md.-based JBG Companies, which is located at the corner of New York Avenue and N Street NE and will also include a 200-room Hyatt Place hotel that is currently under construction, as well as residential, retail, and office components.
JBG announced the move in a press release this afternoon. The theater will occupy about 31,000 square feet. It joins a growing cinema scene in D.C., with a 16-screen theater planned for the Capitol Riverfront.
The theater will have feature a full-service bar and the ability to reserve seats. It'll be the third Landmark theater in the D.C. area.
Rendering courtesy of JBG
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