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The latest movie theater news and updates
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December 9, 2010
Regal closes Southland 7 in Marion
MARION, OH — The Southland Cinema 7 operated by Regal since 1994, was closed on December 5. The theater was located at the Marion Centre Mall, which is facing foreclosure proceedings in January.
Regal Cinemas decided not to renew its lease, which ends in December, and to vacate the 1415 Marion-Waldo Road site, Gallagher said. The company has operated the movie theater since 1994, when it expanded it to a seven-screen cinema complex. The theater opened under the operation of Cinema Centers Corp. of Boston.
She said she did not have information regarding whether Regal Cinemas had any plans to open a theater elsewhere in the Marion area. She said she had no response to whether her company’s decision to close the cinema was related to the mall being in foreclosure.
There is more in the Mansfield News-Journal.
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Hotel chain to help spiff up Rexburg theater
REXBURG, ID — The former Westwood Theater will be refurbished as part of a hotel preservation program.
Now, Hampton Hotels says the 420-seat theater will be 1 of 5 projects its employees help restore in 2011.
The city has been pushing a “Bring back the Romance” campaign to spiff up the theater, with help from Brigham Young University-Idaho.
Read more in the KHQ.
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Rivertree Court Cinemas closed
VERNON HILLS, IL — It appears that AMC has closed the curtain on Rivertree Court Cinemas in Vernon Hills. According to the Vernon Hills Review, the theater will be converted to a Gordman’s department store.
Rivertree Court was opened in 1988 by the now defunct Cineplex Odeon chain and had the distinction of being one of the few Chicago area theaters left with the original CO decor. It was closed once before by Loews Cineplex in 2000, before Kerasotes purchased and reopened it in 2001. After AMC purchased Kerasotes earlier this year, the writing was probably on the wall as AMC also purchased the Showplace 8 (also in Vernon Hills) which is much newer.
The last day of shows was Thursday, December 2nd. Among the last features shown were “The Last Three Days”, “Due Date”, “Secretariat”, “Skyline”, “Life As We Know It”, “The Social Network”, and “Morning Glory”.
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December 8, 2010
Twelve-screen theater opens Dec. 10 in Conway
CONWAY, AR — Cinemark will open its new Towne Center theater here on December 10. The new cinema features a dozen digital screening rooms, one of which houses one of the company’s large-format HD screens.
Frank Gonzales, marketing manager, described the auditorium as having a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling screen with a custom sound system and digital projection capable of showing any 2D or 3D movie.
The full story appeared in the Log Cabin Democrat.
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Jefferson Valley Mall Theater Closes Again
YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, NY — The Movies at Jefferson Valley, an 8-plex operated by Trademark Cinemas and located in the Jefferson Valley Mall has closed once again, for the second time in four years. The Journal News quoted the CEO of Trademark Cinemas as saying the mall’s owner, Simon Properties, would not renew the company’s lease, despite repeated attempts to gain a long-term contract. Trademark had operated the theater (opened originally under the United Artists banner as a 6-plex about 25 years ago) since Regal closed it in 2006, calling it “underperforming.”
While the Journal News reports that this leaves the town of Yorktown “without a cinema within its 40 square miles,” it also notes that Regal pulled out after opening another multiplex in the Cortlandt Town Center, which, though not in the same town, is only four miles away.
According to the article, mall management issued a statement affirming their commitment to “a mix of retail, food and entertainment options” but not commenting on reasons for the theater’s closing.
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Seventy-year-old Morris theater to add screens
MORRIS, MN – Currently run by a theater cooperative, the Morris Theater, which opened in 1940, will soon acquire two more screens and get some much needed structural improvements.
The theater only has one screen, and movie contracts require the theater to reserve that screen for up to three weeks for one movie making airing multiple new movies impossible. By adding the two other screens, Morris Theater will be able to air a new movie every week.
According to Cooperative members the theater struggles to bring in customers after the first week of a movie. The cooperative plans to spend roughly $900,000 to not only add the two other theaters and repair the current one.
The story was reported by KSAX/KRWF.
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December 7, 2010
Varsity Theatre in Chapel Hill celebrates first year after reopening
CHAPEL HILL, NC — A Chapel Hill landmark for over 80 years, the Varsity Theatre on East Franklin Street, Downtown celebrated a milestone after more than a year of its re-opening as a movie theatre that shows classic films and second run releases.
To a greater extent than they originally intended, the Shareshians have made the theater – which actually includes two theaters, one seating up to 230 and the other seating 138, plus an upstairs lobby and party room – a multi-purpose space.
They rent it out for birthday parties and wedding receptions. They show World Cup soccer and NFL football games on the big screen. They collaborate with local businesses, organizations and the university on events such as film festivals, lectures and fundraisers.
More on this story from Chapel Hill News.
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Landmark spruces up the Piedmont Theatre
OAKLAND, CA — Landmark Theatres, which has been closing a number of theaters over the past year, has apparently decided that the ninety-three-year-old Piedmont Theatre/ is a keeper. The chain has installed new carpet and wall treatment and has improved the seating.
Landmark Theaters Vice President of Development Michael Fant, who oversaw the project, says the improvements were not aimed at boosting revenues, but were meant primarily to reward the loyal patrons who have been coming to the theater for decades. Landmark therefore tried to balance the old and new in making the design decisions.
“If we had changed the auditorium and made it a modern theater … the patrons that had been going there for years wouldn’t feel like it was the same place,” Fant said.
The full story is in the Piedmont Patch.
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AMC closes another: the Colonial Commons in Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, PA — Add another theater to the recent set of closings by AMC. The nine-screen Colonial Commons showed its last films on November 28. The theater opened in 1991.
There is more at Penn Live.
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December 6, 2010
Tilton 9 Theatre Retro Nite: December 17th, The Princess Bride
NORTFHFIELD, NJ — “Mawwage. Mawwage is what bwings us togwever today.”
For one night only! Friday, December 17th at 8pm and 10:45pm, come see ‘The Princess Bride’ on the BIG screen. This will be projected on 35mm film! Included are approx. 10 minutes of retro trailers also on film.
Tickets are $5 and are on sale now!