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Openings
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February 26, 2007
Stargate Twin update
Hello,
I stumbled upon your website tonight and I’ve found it very interesting. It’s nice to know that some of these old theaters are being preserved, if not physically, at least through memories. I have some unfortunate news about the Stargate Twin Theater in Rapid City, SD.
I have lived in Rapid City all of my life so I can give you a brief history of the theater for you to post on your site, but before I do I must tell you that the theater has been closed since January 1st. The signs have disappeared and the windows have been covered with white paper. I read an article in our local newspaper that the company that owns the Stargate could not come to an agreement with the people who lease them the theater. Apparently they wanted a lot more then what the Stargate could afford.
Apparently before they closed up they took out everything including all of the seats in both theaters. The theater will probably be torn out as easily as possible (considering it’s located in a shopping center which will not be torn down) and replaced with a retail store.
Status: Closed 2006
Screens: Single Screen
Style: Generic (1970’s)
Function: second run movies
Seats: 500 ??
Chain: Former United Artists0 comments -
February 23, 2007
British Cinema in Hollywood?
As Hollywood holds title to “The Entertainment Capital of the World” I question why there are so very few cinemas left, especially on the Boulevard?
Certainly some remain but are closed eyesores, rotting away and it is my contention to get the Hollywood elite to join this campaign.
A small group of us are really keen to re-open one… not just to run any movies but films with a BRITISH theme to them.
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February 2, 2007
Heart Theatre returns
EFFINGHAM, IL — Very good news as this unique theater gets another chance. Minor improvements aside, the theater should maintain its heritage.
The Heart Theatre, which closed a little over a month ago, won’t miss a beat as it is re-opening Friday.
Rod Wiethop, Heart Theatre manager, said theater owner Mark McSparin, who owns several other theaters and a drive-in, has decided to keep the theater in operation since it is “an integral part of the downtown area.”
Wiethop and his wife, Judy, who managed the theater under previous lessee, Chuck Zweck, will run the day-to-day operations.
To read more, go to theJournal Gazette/Times Courier.
(Thanks to Bloo for submitting this story.)
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January 19, 2007
Galaxy Triplex fades away
GUTTENBERG, NJ — $5 tickets and a pipe organ aren’t enough to save the Galaxy Triplex. After 30 years of service, the theater is folding due to attendance not paying for its rent.
Galaxy Mall owner Martin Sergi said that the theater is a victim of flagging attendance – a trend in the industry.
“Unfortunately, the neighborhood theater is more behind us than ahead of us,” Sergi said. “We supported it for as long as possible, but we couldn’t do it any longer.” The 17,000-square-foot theater will be converted to offices, he said.
To read more, go to the Jersey Journal
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January 15, 2007
Former titan of multiplexes to be demolished
WAUKEGAN, IL — The former largest theater in America, the Lakehurst Cinema, will be torn down for a hotel. Plans to get rid of it sped up when numerous fire code violations were recently reported.
The Lakehurst Cinema, which was briefly the king of the multiplex world when it featured 12 screens in 1987, has locked the doors as plans move forward to build a Holiday Inn Express on the Waukegan Road site.
“We received a complaint regarding the heat. People told us there was no heat in one of the theaters,” Jurkovac said. “So we went out there right away with the fire department, and it turned out there was more than just no heat.”
For more on this story, go to Lake County News-Sun.
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November 16, 2006
Capawock Theatre returns
VINEYARD HAVEN, MA — After being shuttered for two years, the nearly hundred year old Capawock Theatre has resumed normal operations.
It was a sight unseen for the last two years on Main street, Vineyard Haven: the easy conversation amongst friends standing outside the Capawock theatre after a movie, bathed in the yellow light of the old-fashioned building with green and red trim.
The re-opening of the movie theatre on Wednesday night was ample reason to celebrate. Downtown residents delighted in walking to the movies again instead of driving. Business owners revelled in seeing life on the streets after 9 p.m.
All rejoiced in the return of the theatre whose distinctive quirkiness was not lost in the new paint and upholstery. Few cared what movie was playing, so much as there was one.
To read more about this exciting event, go to The Vineyard Gazette.
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November 15, 2006
Star City Cinemas reopens as a bargain movie house
BRIDGEVILLE, PA — The Star City Cinemas reopened Friday Nov. 10, 2006 under a new name, Screenworks, and is now a bargain movie theater.
As a bargain house, the South Fayette theater will show movies weeks after they open elsewhere. The initial selection, for instance, includes “All the King’s Men” and “The Gridiron Gang,” along with “World Trade Center,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.”
Doors will open at 12:30 p.m., and the movie start times today are staggered from 1 to 2 p.m.
To read more on this, go to the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
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November 9, 2006
Closure of former Gaumont Palace, Cheltenham, UK
CHELTENHAM, GLOUCESTERSHIRE, UK — The former Gaumont Palace cinema, latterly the Odeon Cheltenham, closed down permanently on 5th November 2006.
The cinema opened in 1933 and had a long history of live music performances as well as film. In the 1970’s, as with most Odeons, the single auditorium was triplexed and subsequently awkwardly sub-divided still further into seven screens.
Despite this, it struggled to remain competitive and, in the wake of the opening of the nearby Cineworld multiplex, staff were given just thirty days to revive its fortunes or face closure.
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October 23, 2006
New Regal theater opens in Salem
SALEM, OR — The Regal Lancaster Mall is opening with some benefit days in order to raise charity and show off their high-end amenities.
The new Regal Cinemas Lancaster Mall Stadium 11 one-ups Santiam 11 in many ways, from size to handicapped accessibility, amenities and ticket prices.
The 2,481-seat theater opens to the public Monday with the first of three benefit days featuring second-run movies, an invitational VIP night and a grand opening Oct. 27-29 with first-run features.
To read more aout this story, visit the Statesman Journal.
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Lake Mills to have new theater
LAKE MILLS, IA — With no movie theater within miles, residents are banding together to construct a new theater that will also be used for performing arts.
In Lake Mills, construction of a theater may begin in a few weeks. It will resemble the 1937 art deco building it is replacing. The goal is to have the theater open for the July Jubilee celebration July 13-15.
The Mills Theatre closed in the spring of 2001. Since then, residents have had to drive to Forest City, Mason City and beyond for movies, with high gas prices adding to the price of a ticket.
For more, read the Globe Gazette.