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Topic: Theatres For Sale

Daryl Lund
Film Handler

Posts: 88
From: Chehalis,WA, USA
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 04-27-2000 01:04 PM

I am looking for theatres for sale. I own one in chehalis. WA. and would like to buy more. Open or closed, hardtop or drive in. I like the challange of opening closed properties and the fact that Iam helping to preserve our past.

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Dustin Mitchell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1865
From: Mondovi, WI, USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 04-27-2000 01:13 PM

Although its quite a ways from you, the Carmike theatres in Wausau, Stevens Point, and Madison Wisconsin are all closing down. AFAIK, they're being sold back to the landlords, but if someone in the area is looking for a theatre its worth checking. Naturaly they'd all need a lot of work.

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Bryan Redemske
Film Handler

Posts: 70
From: Cedar Falls, IA, USA
Registered: Feb 2000

posted 04-27-2000 01:48 PM

you can have ours. i don't think it's for sale and i'm not in charge, but i really don't mind.

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Sara Serine Orton
Film Handler

Posts: 32
From: Moscow, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 04-27-2000 02:30 PM

There's a Carmike in Boise, ID which closed down a year ago and still hasn't been bought up. It's an old four plex.
There's also another Carmike in Pullman, WA that closed down. It's just one screen. Let me know if you want more info.

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Ari Nordström
Master Film Handler

Posts: 283
From: Göteborg, Sweden
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 04-27-2000 03:19 PM

Darn. There should be more people like you. I've seen more than a dozen of the theatres I've worked at closed down, torn down, rebuilt into live stages and hamburger restaurants and underwear stores and...

Thankfully, my greatest love among all of the theatres I've ever had the pleasure to visit is still there. And you know what? I work there.

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-27-2000 05:03 PM

Boise is a really wonderful town. Unfortunately is a pisser for any competition there in film exhibition. Edwards unfortunately owns the place. Personally, a closed Carmike should stay a closed Carmike. It'd be cheaper and you would be far ahead to tear it down and start over
Mark

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Jason Burroughs
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Allen, TX
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-27-2000 06:39 PM

There's a couple of closed down movie houses here in Dallas that I imagine are up for sale as well. 2 that come to mind are the Casa Linda 4, formerly owned by Rich Peterson, and the Skillman 6, formarly run by Cinemark, remodeled in 96 (I belive) and closed down in 97 or early 98, and been unused since. There MAY be a few others scattered around as well

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Dwayne Caldwell
Master Film Handler

Posts: 323
From: Rockwall, TX, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 04-27-2000 06:52 PM

I was told that the Skillman 6 was a complete dump. And that was after the remodeling. Now that I think about it, all those UA's that closed down were supposed to be real dumps. The UA Prestonwood was bought out in 98' and opened as the Granada Movie Grill Prestonwood in late October the same year. I remember when the Casa Linda closed down because we bought afew subs and quite afew JBL speakers (cabinets included) from Rich and installed them at the Granada Movie Grill on Greenville. Hey Jason. Any news on what they're going to do with the Northpark 1-2 theatre? I heard someone else was going to buy it when Foleys didn't need the extra parking space after all (or whatever the hell they were originally supposed to do with it). Those bastards.

------------------
The man with the magic hands.

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Jason Burroughs
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 654
From: Allen, TX
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-27-2000 09:34 PM

Dwayne,

To be honest I haven't heard a thing about the NorthPark I-II I wish to god someone would open it back up, and run it right (as in not cheapen it and chop it up)

Skillman was a complete dump before the remodel, but not TOO bad afterwards. but I"m sure the booth still needs alot of TLC. The tech that Cinemark had at the time was notorius for doing a crappy job with his work

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Mark Gulbrandsen
Resident Trollmaster

Posts: 16657
From: Music City
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-27-2000 09:46 PM

Wow Daryl,
You're up to about 60 screens in a matter of a few hours! you're going to be a real busy guy over the next few decades. Best of luck here!!
Mark

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Brad Miller
Administrator

Posts: 17775
From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall)
Registered: May 99

posted 04-28-2000 04:58 AM

Contact United Artists. They will probably GIVE you some of their older theaters if you will just take over their leases.

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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-28-2000 05:37 PM

Hey Brad,

Contacting UA is a waste of time. I tried that route - phone, fax, and mail for a theatre that was on their list to dispose of. Never got one response. FYI, the theatre has since closed and defaulted on its lease...I know because its in Sonoma County and their landlord is our landlord.

And if UA's real estate dept should decide to give you the pleasure of return communication, the answer will be whatever theatre you are interested in is priced at 7 times the average cash flow from the last three completed fiscal years. In this day and age, no one pays 7 times cashflow for a theatre - especially one that needs major upgrades.

That said, there are some properties, especially here in California that UA has walked away from - some of which might actually be worthwhile if someone was willing to enter into the fray as they are all in highly competitive markets.

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Scott Magie
Film Handler

Posts: 73
From: St. Albans, VT USA
Registered: Mar 2000

posted 04-28-2000 11:47 PM

Mark, much agreed that a closed Carmike should remain that way... except for one. If there's one theatre that I'd love to see running beautifully, it's the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman, Montana. Beautiful old Main Street theatre with a balcony. One screen. Seats six hundred. Just installed DTS for Episode 1. I don't know if Carmike'll ever give it up, but if they do, I'd fly back there to see it running well! Actually, pay me enough and I'd move back there to run it. There's nothing like watching a movie with 600 people (or screening one by yourself with 599 empty seats!)
Sorry... please excuse my nostalgia. Please feel free to proceed with the prior discussion.

------------------
Scott A. Magie

scoooot@hotmail.com
"Anybody wanna peanut?"

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Mike Blakesley
Film God

Posts: 12767
From: Forsyth, Montana
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-29-2000 07:39 PM

Scott,

You are right about the Ellen Theatre in Bozeman. A beautiful house, but it sure needs a good cleaning.

I saw a screening of "The Peacemaker" there during a theatre owners convention. After the Dreamworks rep introduced the film, the Carmiker in the booth started the movie WITH THE WRONG LENS. Took about 2 minutes to get it fixed, too. And the picture was way too dim.

With some work, that theatre would be a real showplace. Have you ever seen the Wilma in Missoula MT?

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Ky Boyd
Hey I'm #23

Posts: 314
From: Santa Rosa, CA, USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 04-29-2000 08:03 PM

As a native Montanan (grew up in Great Falls) I must agree that the Ellen in Bozeman is a beauty and Carmike's neglect is deplorable. There is a community group - Friends of the Ellen - that has formed to champion the historic preservation and restoration of the building. It's an interesting situation Carmike has in Bozeman - its one that they inherited when the company purchased Excellence Theatres which had purchased TOI, which was the leasee of the Ellen. Essentially the deal is the Ellen's owner helped fund the building of the Campus Sq in exchange for a % of any and all future theatres operated by the company (now Carmike) in Bozeman over the life of the lease. Last I heard from my friends was that Carmike was in the final years of its lease and hadn't made any indication of whether they would renew or not. Given the growth in Bozeman and Carmike's development of new 10 plexes in Billings, GreatFalls and Missoula, I was always surprised they hadn't built in Bozeman - but I can see them not wanting to give up a % of a new theatre in a closed market. Anyway, if you want info on friends of the Ellen, send me an e-mail and I'll send you contact info.

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