This is topic Theatres For Sale in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Daryl Lund (Member # 356) on 04-27-2000, 01:04 PM:
I am looking for theatres for sale. I own one in chehalis. WA. and would like to buy more. Open or closed, hardtop or drive in. I like the challange of opening closed properties and the fact that Iam helping to preserve our past.
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 04-27-2000, 01:13 PM:
Although its quite a ways from you, the Carmike theatres in Wausau, Stevens Point, and Madison Wisconsin are all closing down. AFAIK, they're being sold back to the landlords, but if someone in the area is looking for a theatre its worth checking. Naturaly they'd all need a lot of work.
Posted by Bryan Redemske (Member # 354) on 04-27-2000, 01:48 PM:
you can have ours. i don't think it's for sale and i'm not in charge, but i really don't mind.
Posted by Sara Serine Orton (Member # 208) on 04-27-2000, 02:30 PM:
There's a Carmike in Boise, ID which closed down a year ago and still hasn't been bought up. It's an old four plex.
There's also another Carmike in Pullman, WA that closed down. It's just one screen. Let me know if you want more info.
Posted by Ari Nordström (Member # 288) on 04-27-2000, 03:19 PM:
Darn. There should be more people like you. I've seen more than a dozen of the theatres I've worked at closed down, torn down, rebuilt into live stages and hamburger restaurants and underwear stores and...Thankfully, my greatest love among all of the theatres I've ever had the pleasure to visit is still there. And you know what? I work there.
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-27-2000, 05:03 PM:
Boise is a really wonderful town. Unfortunately is a pisser for any competition there in film exhibition. Edwards unfortunately owns the place. Personally, a closed Carmike should stay a closed Carmike. It'd be cheaper and you would be far ahead to tear it down and start over
Mark
Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 04-27-2000, 06:39 PM:
There's a couple of closed down movie houses here in Dallas that I imagine are up for sale as well. 2 that come to mind are the Casa Linda 4, formerly owned by Rich Peterson, and the Skillman 6, formarly run by Cinemark, remodeled in 96 (I belive) and closed down in 97 or early 98, and been unused since. There MAY be a few others scattered around as well
Posted by Dwayne Caldwell (Member # 417) on 04-27-2000, 06:52 PM:
I was told that the Skillman 6 was a complete dump. And that was after the remodeling. Now that I think about it, all those UA's that closed down were supposed to be real dumps. The UA Prestonwood was bought out in 98' and opened as the Granada Movie Grill Prestonwood in late October the same year. I remember when the Casa Linda closed down because we bought afew subs and quite afew JBL speakers (cabinets included) from Rich and installed them at the Granada Movie Grill on Greenville. Hey Jason. Any news on what they're going to do with the Northpark 1-2 theatre? I heard someone else was going to buy it when Foleys didn't need the extra parking space after all (or whatever the hell they were originally supposed to do with it). Those bastards. ------------------
The man with the magic hands.
Posted by Jason Burroughs (Member # 68) on 04-27-2000, 09:34 PM:
Dwayne,To be honest I haven't heard a thing about the NorthPark I-II I wish to god someone would open it back up, and run it right (as in not cheapen it and chop it up)
Skillman was a complete dump before the remodel, but not TOO bad afterwards. but I"m sure the booth still needs alot of TLC. The tech that Cinemark had at the time was notorius for doing a crappy job with his work
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-27-2000, 09:46 PM:
Wow Daryl,
You're up to about 60 screens in a matter of a few hours! you're going to be a real busy guy over the next few decades. Best of luck here!!
Mark
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-28-2000, 04:58 AM:
Contact United Artists. They will probably GIVE you some of their older theaters if you will just take over their leases.
Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 04-28-2000, 05:37 PM:
Hey Brad,Contacting UA is a waste of time. I tried that route - phone, fax, and mail for a theatre that was on their list to dispose of. Never got one response. FYI, the theatre has since closed and defaulted on its lease...I know because its in Sonoma County and their landlord is our landlord.
And if UA's real estate dept should decide to give you the pleasure of return communication, the answer will be whatever theatre you are interested in is priced at 7 times the average cash flow from the last three completed fiscal years. In this day and age, no one pays 7 times cashflow for a theatre - especially one that needs major upgrades.
That said, there are some properties, especially here in California that UA has walked away from - some of which might actually be worthwhile if someone was willing to enter into the fray as they are all in highly competitive markets.
Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 04-28-2000, 11:47 PM:
Mark, much agreed that a closed Carmike should remain that way... except for one. If there's one theatre that I'd love to see running beautifully, it's the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman, Montana. Beautiful old Main Street theatre with a balcony. One screen. Seats six hundred. Just installed DTS for Episode 1. I don't know if Carmike'll ever give it up, but if they do, I'd fly back there to see it running well! Actually, pay me enough and I'd move back there to run it. There's nothing like watching a movie with 600 people (or screening one by yourself with 599 empty seats!)
Sorry... please excuse my nostalgia. Please feel free to proceed with the prior discussion.------------------
Scott A. Magie
scoooot@hotmail.com
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 04-29-2000, 07:39 PM:
Scott,You are right about the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman. A beautiful house, but it sure needs a good cleaning.
I saw a screening of "The Peacemaker" there during a theatre owners convention. After the Dreamworks rep introduced the film, the Carmiker in the booth started the movie WITH THE WRONG LENS. Took about 2 minutes to get it fixed, too. And the picture was way too dim.
With some work, that theatre would be a real showplace. Have you ever seen the Wilma in Missoula MT?
Posted by Ky Boyd (Member # 23) on 04-29-2000, 08:03 PM:
As a native Montanan (grew up in Great Falls) I must agree that the Ellen in Bozeman is a beauty and Carmike's neglect is deplorable. There is a community group - Friends of the Ellen - that has formed to champion the historic preservation and restoration of the building. It's an interesting situation Carmike has in Bozeman - its one that they inherited when the company purchased Excellence Theatres which had purchased TOI, which was the leasee of the Ellen. Essentially the deal is the Ellen's owner helped fund the building of the Campus Sq in exchange for a % of any and all future theatres operated by the company (now Carmike) in Bozeman over the life of the lease. Last I heard from my friends was that Carmike was in the final years of its lease and hadn't made any indication of whether they would renew or not. Given the growth in Bozeman and Carmike's development of new 10 plexes in Billings, GreatFalls and Missoula, I was always surprised they hadn't built in Bozeman - but I can see them not wanting to give up a % of a new theatre in a closed market. Anyway, if you want info on friends of the Ellen, send me an e-mail and I'll send you contact info.
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 04-29-2000, 11:41 PM:
Being a Carmike slave myself I should take exception to the comment about Carmike theatres, but I can't. Our theatre (Oakwood 12, Eau Claire, WI) is in pretty decent shape. A minor problem here and there but overall good presentation and a great staff. But I know that not all, or even the majority, of Carmikes are that way. A lot of it has to do with the corporate policy, but a lot more has to do with some very shitty GM's. I've had personal experience with 2 screwheads that fudged up bad enough to get fired.
Posted by Scott Magie (Member # 368) on 04-30-2000, 08:47 PM:
Sorry to divert your thread, Daryl. Perhaps we should start two new ones... "Ellen Theatre, Bozeman" and "How much I hate Carmike, by Scott Magie". :PI was the assistant at the Ellen for awhile (while also trying to manage the booth at Campus Square). This was AFTER the Peacemaker incident, I assure you. But then I moved to Missoula to run the Village 6, so yes, I know the Wilma... but not well. I only saw "Run, Lola, Run" "Sweet and Lowdown" and "The Cradle Will Rock" there. None of these films had any trailers on them (and I'm notoriously late to everything), Lola played at non-sync level for the first 5-10 minutes until I went out and complained (I was the only one there), and I don't know what happened during Lowdown, but the film stopped for quite awhile midway after the tail of a reel sputtered across the screen. I didn't think they had changeovers there but maybe they do and they missed it. So apparently it needs some work too.
I wish someone would buy these old theatres and DO something with them. Be different. Dress in tuxedos and usher people personally to their seats. Show newsreels. Something!
Sometimes the janitor at the Ellen plays the organ as people enter on an opening night. Carmike doesn't pay him to do that, though. He just loves to do it. Good ol' Wes... he even SHOWERS on those days! :O
------------------
Scott A. Magie
scoooot@hotmail.com
"Anybody wanna peanut?"
------------------
ps- Hey, how come my smilies didn't work?!
Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-01-2000, 09:45 AM:
Sounds like a neat place there in Bozeman. Carmike also has the Villa Theater here in Salt Lake City. This is SLC's original 3 strip Cinerama house!! The huge 80 plus foot wide screen is still there and so are the booths but Carmike doesn't have a clue as to how to run or book it. Mission to Mars has been there since it was released. Although the outside of the building is fairly well maintained there is way too much neglect going on here.
Mark
Posted by Harry Robinson (Member # 265) on 05-01-2000, 11:22 AM:
This place is on the other side of the country from you, but it sounds like a bargin. It's the old Capri Theater in beautiful downtown Shelbyville Tennessee, home of Tennessee Walking Horses (a big deal down here). Old Clyde Jacobs is a great guy who just wants to see the theater continue on in it's tradition. Every high school kid in this small southern town had his first job working for Clyde, and they all still love him.About once a week the local schools come in for special screenings at 4 bucks a kid and Clyde gives them each a small popcorn and drink when they walk in the door. It's really like stepping back in time.
Health problems are causing him to have to retire. He told me he would make arrangements for someone to just take it over and pay him as you go. Or he'll take 150K for the place including all the gear, which includes some beautifully maintained old centurys. You'd have to call him for the details.
Incidently, he's still in mono. The old place used to be a single screen, but he converted the balcony into a separate room. Personnaly I'd like to see it restored to a single screen. I'd drive the 1 1/2 hours just to go to the movies in an old-fashioned theater. It needs new decor, etc. It was last redecorated in 1968 (orange and gold everywhere).
Posted by Daryl Lund (Member # 356) on 05-08-2000, 03:59 PM:
Thanks for replies. I was in hope of finding a theatre on the west coast so I could put my good friend Kenny Layton to work. I feel sorry for Kenny. He has so much money ,that He just spends all his time on the front porch watching the girls go by.
Posted by Stephen Winner (Member # 8) on 05-08-2000, 08:48 PM:
Richmond, VA has a nice 1940's Art Deco styled single screen house in Highland Springs that's waiting for somebody to strike the arc's and pop the popcorn. The theater was renovated about 10-12 years ago, but was never able to recoup the cost, and closed a couple years ago. It's still being kept up in maintenace, but is now up for sale
Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 08-09-2002, 04:41 PM:
Clearview Cinemas, New Jersey-based chain put up for sale yesterday by Cablevision Systems.Clearview has a lot of dumps and chop jobs -- but it actually has a few nice theaters and a few desirable locations.
Their nice theaters are:
The Ziegfeld, 1,000-seat movie palace on 54th Street in midtown Manhattan. I saw the restored version of Vertigo at the Ziegfeld under Cineplex Odeon ownership. When Cineplex Odeon merged with Loews in 1998 the US Justice Dept. filed an antitrust claim and Loews was forced to spin off some Manhattan theaters. That's how Clearview got the Ziegfeld.
Chelsea, a 9-plex built by Cineplex Odeon on Eighth Avenue in Manhattan. A nice pre-stadium multiplex in a famous neighborhood. Also picked up by Clearview in the Cineplex Odeon-Loews merger.
Headquarters Plaza, a 10-plex in Morristown NJ built by AMC in the early 90's. My first visit to an AMC was in 1995 when the Headquarters Plaza ran the arthouse picture Basquiat. Clearview picked up this theater in 1998 when AMC had cash flow problems.Their desirable locations are:
Clairidge, Montclair NJ. Old Cinerama theater, later a 3-screen neighborhood house, now a 6-plex that plays every upmarket/arthouse hit.
Succasunna Cinema 10 and Parsippany Cinema 12, both in Morris County NJ. Clearview actually dominates Morris County (north of where I live). When AMC closes a nearby 6-plex after Labor Day these 2 multiplexes on busy highways will get more business. I saw The English Patient, before its Oscar wins, at Succasunna pre-Clearview.
62nd & Broadway, across from the Lincoln Plaza arthouse. This single-screen was -- you guessed it -- picked up in the Loews-Cineplex Odeon merger. Now the de facto Fox house for the Upper West Side, the 62nd & Broadway just opened The Good Girl.
Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 08-10-2002, 12:17 AM:
Here a a few in the San Diego area:1. Glasshouse 6 (former UA)
Crummy 6 plex in need of serious upgrades. In the same shopping center as a Chuck E. Cheeze and ULTRAZONE ( a popular laser tag center ) . More than ample parking in a 3 level parking garage. It is near the Sports Arena & Sea World. Faces competition from 3 theatres in Mission Valley, about 10 minutes up interstate 8. ( a 20 plex, 18, and a 7). Although nearby, it lacks direct access from the freeway and is not very accessable. It's also a seedy part of town. I have not driven by that area recently, and I'm not sure if it is still there. It clossed around 98.
2. El Cajon 8 (formerly Krikorian, than a Regal)
THX Certified in 2 of it's 8 auditoriums, this theatre opened it's doors as the cornerstone of a new shopping center in the early 90's, making it the newest rundown theatre in the area. Did very well as a Krikorian, than sold to Regal around the time "cable Guy" came out. When Regal compleated the nearby Parkway Plaza 18, it conveted the El Cajon into a dollar theatre. Although it did verry good buisiness as a dollar theatre, Regal decide that it was hurting buisiness for the new Parkway Plaza, and closed it a few months later. The shopping center died soon after. It has remained boarded up, but as far as i know, everything inside is still in excellent condition. I think a church is interested in buying it. The area does have a few gang problems, to my understanding.
If you want to open any of theese drop me a line, and i'll be glad to help.
By the way, Mark ( 
), in reference to Boise theatres said "Edwards unfortunately owns the place."
----I see nothing wrong with this. 
Posted by Mathew Molloy (Member # 666) on 08-10-2002, 02:36 AM:
The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica is looking for a new owner.
I know the community wants it to stick around but the current landlord has raised the rent to such extremes the current tennant owes some $60K in back rent, etc. It is a cool art-deco single screen house just waiting for someone to come in and fix 'er up.Supposedly what's-is-name with Sundance considered taking the place over but had issues with either the landlord and/or the lack of parking. I'm sure you can read up on it by searching google for it.
And in my opinion, I think that's why the landlord hiked the rent and then lost out.
Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-10-2002, 09:06 AM:
A year or so ago UA closed the only Dimension 150 theatre out in Syossett Long Isand NY. It was beautifully kept up never mulitplexed and it has a big parking lot. I undertand that it never owned the building. Possibly the owner is still looking for a tenant, or may want to sell it. As the song goes, If I were a rich man.... But I an not; if I were, I probably wouldn't be for very long as I would be buying unprofitable old theatres that theatre chains don't want to run....and I wouldn't be a rich man for long.In Brooklyn, the city still owns the Loews Kings -- a magnificent single screen theatre that simply closed, luckily before it was mulitplexed or physically damaged. It only needs someone to go in an promise the city to run it and do what is needed to operate it and commit to a certian number of years occupancy.
Posted by Mark Ogden (Member # 43) on 08-10-2002, 10:22 AM:
Sorry to say, Frank, that you're too late on the Syossett 150. I was by there the other day and the building has been totally gutted. It looks like it's being remodeled for offices. Heavy sigh.
Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 08-10-2002, 03:57 PM:
There are a couple nice theaters in my area for lease/sale as well. (Orlando, FL)The UC7 Cinema. Right across the street from the University, the only word that can describe this place is "cute!" Used to be a 6, was owned by Lytchfield (sp?) then Cobb (I think) then Regal, who turned the game room into a 7th theater and really cleaned up the marquee. Now, it sits closed because of a Regal 20 and a 22 less than 5 minutes away. To my knowledge, all equipment is still present, and it would make an AWESOME discount house being that we're all poor college kids who can't afford $8 a ticket. Other businesses in the plaza have "Taken over" the marquee though. Very sad. If only I had the cash....
Fashion Square 6. The only remaining theater in this area that still had 70mm capability. Former GCC, then AMC, now closed because it was in competition with AMC's shittier but bigger 8-plex around the corner. 
The only other theater that I know of that had 70mm was the "Regal Park 11" which was sold to an independent once regal opened the Winter Park 20 and is now a discount theater. Don't know if the 70mm equipment still exists there.
On a side note, does anyone know what's happening to the former UA "Cinema 70 & 150" in Seattle? When I was there, I was so tempted to pry open the doors just to take a look inside. I've only seen pictures of D150 screens and was in awe.
=TMP=
Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 08-12-2002, 01:28 PM:
Thank Mark, I hadn't been by there recently. A bunch of the theatre staff here would pile in a couple of cars and drive the hour out and hour back from Brooklyn just to see a film in that deep curved screen and their great presentation (at least until UA forced them to use screen ads). I spoke to the manager and suggested he play the damn ads but then close the curtain, wait a minute or two and then do his light dim and opening as they had done for years with curtain and screen warmer lights. He did that for about three months but the curtain motor died and management didn't want to replace it AND wanted to know why he was messing with the curtain at all. It's a shame when management just doesn't get it.So much for our much loved Dimension 150. 
Posted by Bill Gabel (Member # 1105) on 08-12-2002, 01:44 PM:
Also for the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, California. American Cinematheque may be taking over the Aero Theatre, as a
West Side Screening location. To go with the restored Egyptian
Theatre in Hollywood.
Posted by Thomas Procyk (Member # 1170) on 08-12-2002, 10:17 PM:
I just got an e-mail from a lurker who lives in Seattle just 4 blocks from the UA 70/150, and he has informed me that it is slated for demolition. Why do people mess with perfectly good theaters?
=TMP=
Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 08-13-2002, 08:02 AM:
I was just in Seattle and was amazed to find a building like The Cinema 150 and 70 still standing. I took many pictures and stuck my camera up to as many pieces of glass that would offer a new view into the now gutted lobby.It's a shame it's so far off the beaten path.
Posted by Paul Cassidy (Member # 951) on 08-13-2002, 08:37 AM:
In West Auckland we have a former Village 8 For Sale ,approx $5 million which is about 2.5 million U.S and less in Sterling , the only catch is you can't use it as a cinema , this is owned by Westfield Shopping Town who have opened a Mall cinema about 3 miles down the road and don't want any rival cinema operating there, which is a shame as this is where the largest population is ?????------------------
A KIWI eats,roots & Leaves.
Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 08-13-2002, 06:49 PM:
As far as the Clearview sale in the New York-New Jersey area by the geniuses at Cablevision, it's caveat emptor all the way! Cablevision grossly overpaid for the chain to begin with, and now expects to get $100 Million on a fire sale? Good luck.Most of the locations are ancient and losing money. Sure, the Zeigfeld is a beautiful theater, but take a look at the EDI's. It's losing money hand over fist.
The Morris County locations, which Charles talks about, will only "dominate" the area as long as nobody else comes in and builds on them, and that's a distinct possibility. The major chains seem doomed to reapeat the mistakes of the past.
There is very little in the Clearview portfolio of real value. But like Barnum said, "there's a sucker born every minute."
Posted by Martin Brooks (Member # 1269) on 08-13-2002, 10:53 PM:
Their nice theaters are:* The Ziegfeld, 1,000-seat movie palace on 54th Street in midtown Manhattan. I saw the restored version of Vertigo at the Ziegfeld under Cineplex Odeon ownership. When Cineplex Odeon merged with Loews in 1998 the US Justice Dept. filed an antitrust claim and Loews was forced to spin off some Manhattan theaters. That's how Clearview got the Ziegfeld.
________
Word I have is that Cablevision really wants to sell all the theatres as a group. But I suppose if there are no takers, they will be split up. It would be a shame if someone bought and destroyed the Ziegfeld.
About a year ago, a Clearview exec told me that there is no way Clearview would sell the Ziegfeld or multiplex it. They have recently spent some money on new seat lights and refurbishing the part of the ceiling closest to the screen. It got new projectors a few years ago. Apparently, Disney wanted the Ziegfeld, but Clearview turned them down. I'm not sure if they wanted to run it for films or to turn it into a legit theatre. Be interesting to see what happens now.
It would really be funny if Loews got them back (although they probably wouldn't want most of them.)
In Manhattan, Clearview owns:
59th St. East (59th St 2 Av) single screen, about 300 seats, originally an art house.
1st & 62nd: 6 screens, total about 2000 seats. Built pre-stadium, but a bit of a rabbit warren.
Beekman (2Av 65th St): Nice east side single screen of about 540 seats, but was screwed up during a renovation a few years ago. The center aisle is too wide and now there isn't a decent seat in the house. Also, the rear of the theatre has a glass window into the concession area and too much stray light eminates from there.
Park & 86th St: 710 seat twin
Chelsea West (23rd St 8 Av): Originally the RKO 23rd St. Twinned some years back. In at least one of the theatres, the theatre entrance is right next to the screen.
Chelsea Cinema 9 (23rd St 8 Av): As stated in previous post, modern, pre-stadium theatre. Screens 6 and 7 were originally THX certified. Total about 2300 seats.
Ziegfeld (54th St 6 Av): Nicest theatre in NYC. This and the Loews Astor Plaza are the last two big single screen theatres left. Many premiers are held there. 1150 seats.
62nd & Bdy: About 300 seats, in the basement. Has fairly decent sound, but if memory serves, there's a tear in the screen and it always smells damp.
Metro Twin (Bdy 99th St): 200 seats and 330 seats
Olympia Twin (Bdy 107th St): 450 seats each.
The Metro and Olympia have probably seen impact from the opening of the Magic Johnson Harlem USA 9-plex on 125th St.
I think Clearview also owns the Cobble Hill 5-plex in Brooklyn.
Posted by Charles Everett (Member # 889) on 06-03-2003, 04:13 PM:
Clearview Cinemas is no longer for sale. Newsday and the Associated Press report that Clearview is becoming a division of Rainbow DBS, a satellite TV company being spun off by Cablevision Systems.
To update Martin's info: Clearview has closed the 86th & Lexington, reopened the Metro Twin and sold the Cobble Hill.
Posted by Jack Ondracek (Member # 1466) on 06-03-2003, 05:40 PM:
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
really, who do i talk to to get this theater???