Sun-Ray Cinemas

LOOK Cinemas never opened this location. It is now going to be a Sun-Ray Cinema location:

Tampa, FL: Sun-Ray Cinema Coming to Tampa in December [Nov 14, 2024]

December 13th, 1996 as well as the 1974 grand opening ads can be found in the photo section.

Please update status to OPEN

I give them credit they keep trying to make this theater work

The theater was a joke. One of the auditoriums downstairs was used as a church for a while. It smelled bad too. The mall is so far in debt that I don’t think any theater could make a go of it. When we moved at the end of Feb. it still had not been boarded up.

Wow! Mike and Chuck. I worked for the Franks for 6 and a half years and my last assignment was University Mall 16. I was “laid off/ let go” in July because my payroll costs were not 8%. My replacement made $900 less a month and all he did was ‘babysit’ the location. I promoted the location with radio, had Spiderman running around the USF campus and the mall, Men in Black men walked the mall and that video is on U tube, merchant promotions with Blockbuster Comics, Chik-fi-la, Subway. USF students tended to stay away and go to Muvico where it was safer. This theatre should never have been reopened. I made recommendations to upgrade the theatre by taking down walls for larger theaters (most of the screens were too small and had complaints about), USF students $5 at all times which they did after I left. I also recommended that they take the JC Penny building and retrofit it. In the end, this theatre is history and a IRS write off.

Nick, I have a feeling that the mall/ or Frank probably was doing something illegal by filling the space, and pocketing something from the IRS.. The mall was probably writing off extra security expenses and hoping that the traffic (little as it was) would generate some holiday traffic…

I have a strange feeling that Frank had to know that they would be temporary.. Not one Digital Projector was installed you would have thought priority would have been get the 4 largest 400 seat theaters 3D capable for the movies last year! They basically turned the lights back on, and used duct tape and chewing gum to hold the ship together..

As much crap as they fed management about plans they probably didn’t know until about 2 weeks before.. I have been in situations before with CARMIKE that they tried to close my building 3 times and denied it when the DM called them on it. Saying they were coming to update computers, fix things etc.. But they would scratch their head when they saw the fact that I was making them money, they eventually went 100% digital and upgraded seating at this location after multiple attempts to close it.. And eventually promoted me to a 20 screen that I quickly learned I was drastically being underpaid to manage!

University 16 was under grossing $1 theaters at the end.. In this economy and with the grosses that location had made in the last 6 years no bank would have ever given them a loan to spend millions of $$ to retrofit and digitize, unless you have money buried in your back yard for a complete chain wide digital retrofit 2 years before anyone else..

Enough said.. I would love to get back in the business because insurance sales suck a$$ now due to Obama and commission rate cuts and that topic is another day another place! If anyone in Tampa or Orlando area is looking for a kick A$$ general manager let me know!

Chuck

Hello all,

I was formerly one of the workers of Frank Theaters University 16. I would like to inform you that we are indeed closed. Our last movie played on Sunday, January 6. That night we were told to start cleaning the area and get it ready to be stripped. There were various things in which I can’t and probably won’t speak about that references the closing.

The continued operation is in question as the original agreement was for 12 months. Rent free. Rumor currently floating around is that Franks will leave after the holidays and the rest of the tenants as well. The rumor is that the mall will be torn down and a new USF Football Stadium will be built. Good deal for all around.

Appreciate the update Chuck—thanks! So I wonder if the plans are to completely gut the lower level or just a portion. The lower level contains the two original GCC larger cinemas so I hope the plans don’t include gutting these. The two enhancements are a must to survive since without digital and stadium seating there’s just no way they can keep it going so that’s good to hear. Prints left on platters and in cans…wow! I’ve always thought prints HAD to be returned to the distributor when the run was over. You’re right about Regal. Sounds like they were in a foul mood and simply locked the doors and that was it. I bet employees were not even aware until the last day of operation.

Mike, You wouldn’t believe the mall today. It was beautiful when it opened in ‘74…the largest in town at the time. Today it’s just amazing that it’s still open. I walked through the mall about a year ago and it was depressing to remember what once was and is no longer. Sears is the only remaining anchor aside from Dillard’s although the store is mainly a clearance center so not sure you could call it a true anchor tenant. But the enhancements coming to Frank Theatres may help to hopefully inspire other changes for the good.

Nick I actually talked with the new manager after the holidays, and he said that they are priority 1: Going 100% Digital, Priority 2:Stadium Seating in phases, and developing the lower level into either an arcade or bowling alley.. But the Digital upgrade was coming by May 2012. FYI Otherwize they inherited the headache of noone caring at regal because they were closing anyway. I guess there were several equipment issues, and major projection problems. I guess there was actually complete prints left on platters and in cans when they opened it up too.. so if this tells you what kind of mood Regal was in when they moved out I don’t know what will.

Well you never know Mike. If you guys had the funding and permission from the city I bet she’d jump at the chance to reopen Regency 8. Bet the clean-up cost alone would be staggering not to mention other major repairs. Then again just like University 16, the theatre is not located in the best part of town. Is Regency already outfitted w/stadium-seating?