Lincoln Square Theatre
141 N. Main Street,
Decatur,
IL
62523
141 N. Main Street,
Decatur,
IL
62523
10 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 27 of 27 comments
The Lincoln Square Theatre was originally a Balaban and Katz theatre. I worked as an usher while in high school (1963) and later became the theatre manager from 1969-1971. At that time it was a part of ABC Great States Theatres, whose main offices were in the Chicago Theatre in Chicago. The Lincoln became a part of Kerasotes Theatres around 1973 or 1974. Theu operated it for just a few years before closing operations. bsmith
The WAND-TV story mentions the comments from the local Republican state representative Bill Mitchell(our governor is currently a Democrat but in 2002 when the grant was approved the governor was a Republican) stating the money would be better spent on schools or firehouses. Few would argue agaisnt a statement that schools and firehouses are a higher priority. What the TV reporter failed to mention is that the monies came from a special state fund that is legally and specifically earmarked for projects like the Lincoln project and not for schools and firehouses. There are other places in the state budget that cover those important structures.
The money was going to be spent so it was decided that Decatur was a better place to spend it than elsewhere in the state, such as Chicago.
You gotta love politics.