Movie Theater

[CoteauRinkRat]

According to today's herald, "Wallace theaters will build a 12 screen theater with stadium seats in the space formerly occupied by Target" The theater will occupy 36,000 square feet.

[Fedorov]

According to today's herald, "Wallace theaters will build a 12 screen theater with stadium seats in the space formerly occupied by Target"  The theater will occupy 36,000 square feet.

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I thought there was going to be a new theater with the hotel project? Did something change with that? I know GF could not support three large theaters.

[PCM]

Unfortunately, the article that was front-page news in the Herald is not on its Web site.

These theaters are a completely separate business from the Carmike theaters planned for the new CanadInn Hotel.

The article also said that the theaters would occupy less than half the space currently used by the old Target store. Columbia Mall's new management is looking for another anchor store to occupy the remainder of the space.

[Smoggy]

I think a movie theatre is a perfect fit for the mall. Nothing seems to bring in people like the movies.

Plus, GF has needed a rival for Crapmike for a long time. $5 for a matinee you guys pay. Terrible. I went to stadium seating yesterday with reclining chairs and it was $4. Not to mention that every food and drink item was cheaper.

Did I hear correctly that the 4 is going to finally become the cheap theatre when the new Crapmike gets built?

[Cratter]

Unfortunately, the article that was front-page news in the Herald is not on its Web site. 

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http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/10618805.htm

[PCM]

[Fighting Sioux #1]

The current theatre would be forced to update and be competitive....or just go away. They deserve it !!

[Fedorov]

I didn't realize the new theaters at the hotel would be Carmike. Would Carmike really have three theaters then, even if one becomes a cheap theater? I hate to keep ripping on GF, but I just don't know that people can support it. Heck, GF couldn't support the old cheap theater. That is why there are so few places to go out to eat. People can only afford to go out and eat on the weekends and special events. If you go down to Fargo where people make more money, they eat out every night and therefore have more places to go. I don't think the difference is due to population, but somebody could prove me wrong.

[bisonguy]

I didn't realize the new theaters at the hotel would be Carmike.  Would Carmike really have three theaters then, even if one becomes a cheap theater?  I hate to keep ripping on GF, but I just don't know that people can support it.  Heck, GF couldn't support the old cheap theater.  That is why there are so few places to go out to eat.  People can only afford to go out and eat on the weekends and special events.  If you go down to Fargo where people make more money, they eat out every night and therefore have more places to go.  I don't think the difference is due to population, but somebody could prove me wrong. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

With the two new theaters, Grand Forks will have two more screens than Fargo/Moorhead (34, as opposed to 32), with about one-third the population in the immediate metro area.

I can't see 34 screens being supported with only 4 budget screens. Fargo essentially has 24 "feature screens" (32 minus the Safari 7 budget movies and the 1 screen at the Fargo Theater that features classics and niche films), and there's plenty of duplication of new films on multiple screens.

Are the lines that long at the current GF theaters? Are Grand Forks residents missing out on a lot of movies? I know there was an uproar about Fahrenheit 911, but that seemed pretty trivial to me.

[Cratter]

I hate to keep ripping on GF, but I just don't know that people can support it.  Heck, GF couldn't support the old cheap theater.  That is why there are so few places to go out to eat.  People can only afford to go out and eat on the weekends and special events.  If you go down to Fargo where people make more money, they eat out every night and therefore have more places to go.  I don't think the difference is due to population, but somebody could prove me wrong. 

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Why do you care if the community can support it? It isn't your money being used. Only the strong survive. Each company does what it thinks is best for them. Owners of the mall saw that a theatre would bring people to an empty space and afterwards those customers will enter the mall and spend money. The Canad Inn saw that a theatre would be a perfect fit in their "destination centre."

My guess Carmike will probably close down the Columbia 4 (it is close to the new theatre, while not being connected and no stadium style seating with highbacks) after a short stint at a discount joint, and then will be bought, remodeled, and reopened as something new.

[Fedorov]

Why do you care if the community can support it?

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I want what is best for GF. I think that other companies that might succeed, will choose to skip a city where there have been companies failing. I think competition is great for the consumer, but failure can also hurt the consumer in the long run. I think the fact that the old Target building has been empty for so long in the only mall in a large area says a lot.

[fightingsioux4life]

I want what is best for GF. I think that other companies that might succeed, will choose to skip a city where there have been companies failing. I think competition is great for the consumer, but failure can also hurt the consumer in the long run. I think the fact that the old Target building has been empty for so long in the only mall in a large area says a lot.

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Fedorov,

After Super Target opened up, the Target Corp. kept the old space vaccant on purpose so that their customers would get acquainted with the new location. That is what I read in the Heraldo, anyway. Now that Target Corp. doesn't own the space anymore, we are seeing action on filling it up. If the old South Forks Mall (now Grand Cities Mall) can be resurrected, anything is possible.

As for Grand Forks not being able to support more movie screens, that's the same tired old crap we heard when the new REA opened up in 2001 (You'll never fill 11,500 seats on a regular basis! ). The naysayers have been proven wrong on that. Also, as far as people in Grand Forks not having enough money to go out often, that has also been proven false by REA. There are never a shortage of lines at concessions between periods and almost everything at The Ralph is outrageously overpriced. When people want to be entertained, they are very liberal with their money. Remember, we live in the era of plastic!

I think the addition of more movie screens (especially those not controlled by Carmike) is a great thing for the city. The fact that private investors are willing to put their money into Grand Forks proves that we have overcome the Flood of 1997 and are moving in the right direction (but we still have a long way to go).

[bigmrg74]

[bisonguy]

[dakotadan]

The reason the old Target store at Columbia Mall sat empty for so long is because Target Corp. didn't want any competition to come in right across the street from their new store. The company that had owned columbia mall had tried multiple times to get Target to sell their old store but they could never agree on anything. This last summer Jones Lang LaSalle Company bought Columbia Mall. When this new company bought the mall they publically stated that their main goals were to open a food court and to fill the old Target store. I am sure that one of the reasons JLL Company decided to put a movie theater in the mall is not only will it attract people to the mall but Target Corp would more likely be willing to sell the building if they knew there would not be a competing store that would be moving in. Now by the end of the year there will be a new food court by Marshall Fields and the old Target will be filled.

If anyone is interested here is the link to the mall's website.

Columbia Mall

If you go to the Mall Directory, section K is going to be the new food court.

[The Sicatoka]

Nah, just stating some numbers that were on the news, asking a couple questions about the current state of movie theaters in Grand Forks, and stating that I don't think all of the current and proposed theaters will keep their doors open .

Competition is good, right? Or is that situational?

[bisonguy]

Competition is good, right? Or is that situational?

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Depends. Fargo has a near-monopolistic theater system, but doesn't seem to be lacking in terms of lack of movies or seats.

The waterpark and Columbia Mall theaters would seem to have a great advantage in location. I would venture to say that one or two of the Carmike theaters will become a vacant building within a year.

Seriously, is there a lack of seats or that great of a lack of decent movies in Grand Forks? Inquiring minds want to know.

[Smoggy]

Seriously, is there a lack of seats or that great of a lack of decent movies in Grand Forks? Inquiring minds want to know. 

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Not a lack of seats, but a lack of screens. The big budget movies buy out multiple screens, while lesser movies might only be around for a couple of weeks.

The 10 is just fine, but expensive. Especially when there isn't stadium seating. The 4 is becoming a dump. Certainly needs new seats. But is perfect for a cheap movies.

Whoever said that this town couldn't support a cheap theater is wrong. The last cheap theater was in the South Forks Plaza/Grand Cities Mall and alwalys seemed to have a good crowd. If I remember correct there were other circumstances to it closing.

[Fedorov]

Whoever said that this town couldn't support a cheap theater is wrong.  The last cheap theater was in the South Forks Plaza/Grand Cities Mall and alwalys seemed to have a good crowd.  If I remember correct there were other circumstances to it closing.

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I made the comment about the old cheap theater closing. I assumed it was financial reasons for why it closed, but I stand corrected if there were other circumstances. Does anyone remember how many screens they had at that location?

[Smoggy]

I made the comment about the old cheap theater closing. I assumed it was financial reasons for why it closed, but I stand corrected if there were other circumstances. Does anyone remember how many screens they had at that location?

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You may be right. I just seem to have it in my head that something else happened. I went quite often and it was always a good crowd.

Two screens, but very large theaters. Definitely bigger than anything the 10 has.

[SiouxMeNow]

The old cheap theatre was bought out by Happy Hal to become the Empire Arts Center -- not from lack of support. (who doesn't want to go to movie for a buck?). Columbia Mall 4 will become the new cheap theatre...Carmike 10 will have to survive against the new competition and we won't know about the Alerus-Canad-Waterpark-Theatre Complex until it's built. TRUE - the strong will survive and the weak will become ANOTHER starbucks (like apparently the old Beary Best Pastry location on S. Wash)

BISONGUY -- You guys have a lot more to explain with that new WEIRD totally FLUFF CONTENT Bison BB show than we have to with our theatre situation...kind of quiet on BRAZENVILLE.COM or what??

[Smoggy]

The old cheap theatre was bought out by Happy Hal to become the Empire Arts Center

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That was waaaaaay back into my youth. I think that was closed as the cheap theater in the early '90s. Then the cheapies moved to the current WDAZ venue and then to the Plaza Twin. The Twin was the last.

Though wasn't there a theater in the building complex where the Down UNDer is? Not sure on the name of the complex. That might have been a cheapo at one time.

[Fedorov]

In general it seemed to be good business, but maybe the two screens was a problem. Now there will be 4 screens, probably with the same amount of seats as the old cheap theater. Those were huge theaters.

Over the last 8 years or so, there have been a few times when I have went to movies and one of the Carmike 10 theaters had a theater with no heat in the winter. I am sure that has happened to other places, but it seems like it might be more of a problem at that location. Is it a poor building, poor heating system, something else, or normal?

[UND92,96]

Though wasn't there a theater in the building complex where the Down UNDer is? Not sure on the name of the complex. That might have been a cheapo at one time.

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There was a theater in the Crown Colony complex. I believe it closed some time in the mid-90's. It may have been briefly a discount theater towards the end.

[CoteauRinkRat]

In general it seemed to be good business, but maybe the two screens was a problem.  Now there will be 4 screens, probably with the same amount of seats as the old cheap theater.  Those were huge theaters. 

Over the last 8 years or so, there have been a few times when I have went to movies and one of the Carmike 10 theaters had a theater with no heat in the winter.  I am sure that has happened to other places, but it seems like it might be more of a problem at that location.  Is it a poor building, poor heating system, something else, or normal?

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After reading all of your posts on this subject, I definitely have to laugh out loud. Competition in this market is definitely a well needed thing. If the people of Grand Forks and outlying areas can't support all of the screens, then only the strong will survive. Columbia 4 is a dump and something needed to be done. It was hard to charge people 7.50 to watch a new release movie in that place. With the push for stadium seat theaters, it was sad that it took the announcement of two new movie places in Grand Forks to force the already existing Carmike 10 to renovate some of their existing movie theaters into stadium style seating. It makes you wonder how long it would have taken Carmike 10 to do this, if competition wouldn't have moved into this market.