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New Mexico theater desperately needs manager
posted by
danpetitpas
on
October 9, 2008 at 7:52 am
SOCORRO, NM — The city is desperately looking for someone to take over management of its historic Loma Theatre. The bank which owns the building has even offered the theater rent free along with other incentives so far without success. The theater is due to close October 23rd.
For the past 16 years, the single-screen cinema has been operated by Trans-Lux Theatres. As profits declined, the bank cut the rent in half from $1,400 to $700. Recently it cut the rent in half again from $700 to $350. Trans-Lux’s assets were acquired by Storyteller Theatres Corp. earlier this year, which decided to terminate its lease.
Storyteller says the theater has lost $10,000 through July and will wind up losing $15,000 by year’s end. The company is trying to stem its losses.
As the only movie theater in the area, it is important to the economy of this city of 8,900 people.
Anyone interested in running the Loma Theater should contact Holm
Bursum III, president of First State Bank, at 575-835-8250.
Read more in El Defensor Chieftain and here for a history of movies and the theater.
Comments (15)
If I didn’t have elderly family to take care of here in the east, it might have been worth a look. But even so, with the economy the way it is now, even with those bargain basement rent prices, its a risk.
i have 4 years under my belt as a manager for regal and for an indie chain, 9 years total in the movie theater buisness
level 4 booth certified
Level 4 booth certified? Is that some sort of scientology rating?
hahaha regal makes managers test there projection knowledge in order to move up to 1st assistant or gm
threading, cleaning, bulb changing ect ect
Hi newt, I’m sure you know quite a bit about projection, but how about changing a gear, filing an aperture plate, timing a shutter?? Of course its not really fair to compare, since I have 33 years in the business, which by regal’s standards would make me a dinosaur. By the way, on a seperate note, is there any good news on the Ventnor twin??
timing a shutter i do know, the guy who trained me when i was 17 at amc marlton was like yoda and ill never forget the film on the platter was the pledge with jack nichelson and i was cared to death i screwed up theater 4
i pick up peices as i go and try to soak up as much info as i can, to many people just learn that bare minimum to get by and not be noticed by the amc’s and regals
no word on the ventnor for months but i realy havent had my ear to the ground i have my own theater issues to wade through
Well it is sort of refreshing to here that some more recent people like you newt seem to take pride. I remember how my father always pounded that into me as I was joining the union in 1977. He stressed that till the day he passed on to that giant movie palace in the sky in 1993.
Hey Newt,, the drive in is coming along, wanted to let you know,, and good luck with what your doing!
its like trying to beat back the ocean with a stick. no matter how hard you try no matter what you give or how you come at it the waves just keep crashing….hahaha ok that was a lil dramatic
honest answer is despite having 3 dollar and 5 dollar tickets in the economic mess, despite programing 1st run films and fantastic classic trailers and drive in ad’s from my collection and once a month a 35mm print of a classic film
the powers that be do little to promote or advertise and slowly cut back the show times so its frustrating becuse i love what i do but what i do doesnt love me these days
Yeah newt, I know what you’re saying. I have loved doing this for 33 years too, but the big companies, the Loews, Cineplex, Regals, have all made it that a good hard working, caring projectionist like me cant make a living. They say its a union thing, but really its just that the technology has made it that they can pay a kid $7.25 an hour to run 20 screens, and the hell with showmanship.
sadest part is this is prob my last stop, i left amc when i was 17 to go to regal to be a manager and didnt give 2 weeks cause i was in high school and thought i had it all figured out. i lost my job at regal after 7 years becuse a girl “hahaha wish i knew what i know now” and no matter what i put in, what i learned. if my current digs decides to pull the plug then looks like thats it for this magical mystery tour
Well I hope it continues for you. Don’t give up. I remember thru my life, in ‘83, my theatre closed, the union had me on a job the following week. Same in '91, '94, and again in '05. I now for an independant, in his 2 theatres, about 50 hours between the 2. I learned a long time ago, when one door closes, another opens. I heard for years thru the 80’s how projection was done, and I would out on the street by the mid to late 80’s. Well look at me, almost the end of 2008, and still going strong. Good people like you always come out on top.
im not giving up. im working on a double feature for december, i secured the date and im gonna do a show the way i want to do a show, somthing cult and fun. now im just looking got sponsors so i dont have to do it alone, pack the show with some great prizes and old trailers and once i get the 2 movies that work the best i have an artist whos gonna do a great grindhouse kinda poster for me
the hope is everything comes toghter and i dont have to go broke but if the end is near i may as well go out with a bang
i have called the bank mngr. twice now, in the last 3 weeks. i have still yet to rec. a reply back
Chris
i have made contact with the bank today 10/21/08