Dollar theater dilemma
Cinemark Movies 10 to close in near future because of failure to renew lease
The Cinemark Movies 10 theater located on Candlers Mountain Road will not be renewing its building lease for the upcoming year, according to Liberty University Auxiliary Services Administrator Lee Beaumont.
Film — Students have enjoyed going to the dollar theater to watch recently released movies on the big screen. Photo credit: Leah Seavers
Offering movies for less than $3 a ticket, the Cinemark Movies 10 is one of Liberty students’ and the surrounding community’s favorite places to experience the big screen.
The facility where the theater is located is owned by Liberty. Affectionately known as the “dollar theater,” Cinemark Movies 10 first opened its Lynchburg location 25 years ago, according to Liberty President Jerry Falwell.
“Cinemark signed a 25-year lease … in 1989 with options to renew for 15 more years,” Falwell said. “The rent amount was established for the entire 40-year period by that 1989 lease, (and) Liberty had no power to increase the rent or force Cinemark to leave.”
The theater has been a major part of the community, especially for those looking for a fun, wholesome activity that was budget friendly.
“(Liberty) is disappointed because it is losing a good tenant, and its students are losing a good entertainment option,” Falwell said.
Liberty cinematic arts student Natalie Pace found the closing a loss to Liberty students.
“The Cinemark has been a great place for students to experience films in their proper setting without paying a fortune, and I am sad to see it close,” Pace said. “As a cinematic arts student without a vehicle, it is so helpful to have a place so close to campus where I can watch the more recent releases at a student-friendly price.”
Many students shared her disappointment and remembered fond times at the theater.
“I am saddened at the dollar theater closing,” senior Jake Beerel said. “Personally, I valued the opportunity of enjoying a cheap movie with people other than (Liberty) students. In effect, the theater gave (Liberty) students the opportunity to reach out and connect with the community of Lynchburg.”
In addition to providing entertainment for the community, Cinemark Movies 10 hosted many film screenings for Liberty. Since 2012, Cinemark Movies 10 theater hosted the Zaki Gordon Cinematic Arts Center’s annual Labor Day weekend film festival, according to Pace.
Because of the value Lynchburg residents put in the theater, Justin Bruckner, a Lynchburg resident, started an online petition to “save the dollar theater.” His goal was to “help keep the movies around,” according to the petition website.
After learning of the finality of Cinemark’s lease cancellation, Bruckner set up a Facebook page that supports keeping the theater “alive in one aspect or another,” according to the petition website.
“We need ideas that seem profitable to Liberty and (that) are realistic goals,” Bruckner wrote in a petition update.
According to the Cinemark website, only 14 Cinemark Movies 10 locations are open in the United States. Of the 341 theaters that Cinemark runs in the U.S., all the theaters marked as “closed” on Cinemark’s website were Cinemark budget or “dollar theaters.”
Falwell said in a radio interview Sept. 8 on 100.9 WIQO that movie studios are now creating films in a digital format and Cinemark Movies 10 would have to update their projectors to stay in business. However, these projectors, Falwell said, would cost millions of dollars.
“The dollar theater was facing … the reason I think dollar theaters (in general) are closing down,” Falwell said.
“ …They can’t afford what they are charging for those movies to convert to digital. … I think the first run movies … go to Redbox and DVD and Netflix almost the same time they go to dollar theaters, so it just makes it impossible for that business model to work anymore.”
Falwell did express hope because he was informed there is another theater company who has contacted Liberty with interest in the location. He said he does not know who the company is, but he doubts it is a dollar theater.
Steptoe is a news reporter.
Editor’s note: The previous version of this story incorrectly listed Justin Bruckner’s name as “Jason Bruckner.”