I worked at the Raceway Cinema in summer 1975 during the Disney Film festival. At that point, the building was having structural issues… it’s balcony was unavailable to the public as it no longer could support a full seating up there. It was indeed a Mann theater and their film selections during those years weren’t competitive. It began to have the re-issues of SciFi and oldies as did the now defunct Syosset Theater… tho’ that lasted into the 90’s and was THE place on LI to see the original Star Wars’ re-release.
Initially, the movie house was a premier theater with first run, exclusive showings. Tickets had to be purchased in advance and were high priced for the time. It was geared for the Raceway, Island Inn/John Peel Room crowd for a more formal night out. There was a full bar lounge on the second floor balcony overlooking Old Country Road through floor to ceiling plate glass. Pretty swanky.
The structural problems and the beginning of the summer blockbusters took its toll and the theater was sold and, as stated, became the Racket Club. When they refurbished it, they were able to remodel the structure to eliminate the balcony problems.
The Racket Club (and health club… not much of a spa!) lasted a few years before becoming a retail store. It was then torn down when the entire Roosevelt Raceway properties were sold and the current incarnation of retail/restaurants popped up.
The map location is off… it should be further West… across from Carle Rd in Westbury.
I worked at the Raceway Cinema in summer 1975 during the Disney Film festival. At that point, the building was having structural issues… it’s balcony was unavailable to the public as it no longer could support a full seating up there. It was indeed a Mann theater and their film selections during those years weren’t competitive. It began to have the re-issues of SciFi and oldies as did the now defunct Syosset Theater… tho’ that lasted into the 90’s and was THE place on LI to see the original Star Wars’ re-release.
Initially, the movie house was a premier theater with first run, exclusive showings. Tickets had to be purchased in advance and were high priced for the time. It was geared for the Raceway, Island Inn/John Peel Room crowd for a more formal night out. There was a full bar lounge on the second floor balcony overlooking Old Country Road through floor to ceiling plate glass. Pretty swanky.
The structural problems and the beginning of the summer blockbusters took its toll and the theater was sold and, as stated, became the Racket Club. When they refurbished it, they were able to remodel the structure to eliminate the balcony problems.
The Racket Club (and health club… not much of a spa!) lasted a few years before becoming a retail store. It was then torn down when the entire Roosevelt Raceway properties were sold and the current incarnation of retail/restaurants popped up.