A Tale Of Two Theaters

Posted by: Irvin Dawid

14 October 2008 - 5:10am

The theaters are in the same city, owned by the same company, a mile apart. One is by the highway on a 14-acre lot, the other is two stories in the middle of town with underground, metered parking, and eateries on the ground level. One is closing.

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"The Century Park 12, just...off U.S. Highway 101,(25 miles south of San Francisco, surrounded by acres of free parking) showed its last movie Sunday, Oct. 5. It had shared blockbusters with the newer Century 20 Theater (located about a mile away in the heart of Redwood City's downtown) since it opened two years ago.

'[The closure] was a market decision,' Mayor Rosanne Foust said. 'That says to me that the attendance wasn’t up there.'

David Irmer, who developed the newer theater for Cinemark, said management has already noticed a 35 percent increase in ticket sales since the older theater’s closure. In addition, 'the city expects 25 percent more foot traffic in front of the downtown theater.'"

"The closed theater is expected to be replaced by residences though it is zoned commercial."

Full Story: Redwood City cinema’s screens go dark

Source: The Examiner, October 10, 2008