Webers still plan to build theater
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| Patrons leave the Rialto movie theater on Race Street after catching a late show. Weber Theaters, the company that owns the Rialto, is building a new theater which will be located on Rand Drive in Searcy. A spokesperson for Weber Theaters said the company will keep the Rialto open even after the new theater opens late next year. |
The Daily Citizen
While construction has been delayed, there will be a new movie theater in
Searcy, said Tonya Weber, co-owner and manager of Weber Theaters.
“We get e-mail from people asking about it all the time,”
Weber said.
Construction has not yet begun on the new facility, despite the fact that Weber
promised the theater would be open on Nov. 1, Weber said. Weber Theaters has had
to delay building the theater because of increases in the prices of steel and
concrete. After refinancing, Weber Theaters is now ready to begin, she said.
“We’re ready to go,” Weber said. “Victor was ready to
go two months ago.” Victor Weber is a co-owner and manager of Weber Theaters.
Weber hopes to begin construction on the theater Feb 1. Construction will take
six to seven months and Weber Theaters hopes the theater will be open in time
for holiday movie releases in 2007. The Searcy City Council gave rezoning
approval for the property in May.
While Weber had previously hoped to put eight screens in the
theater, she now plans to have only six screens in the theater due to
construction costs, she said. Two of the smaller auditoriums have been cut out
of the plan, but more seats will be added to the other auditoriums to make up
for it, Weber said.
“We are still going to seat close to 1,000,” she said.
The theater will still have recliner seats, one digital
screen with transmission of movies via satellite, a game room and a charity
fountain, Weber said. The Rialto will stay open and continue to offer
concessions at the same prices as before, she said.
“It will just get movies faster. We won’t have to wait for the Cinema 8 to
stop showing a movie before we can bring it to you,” Weber said.
The Rialto typically shows movies after they have been shown at the Searcy
Cinema 8.
While she would like to sell concessions for the same price at the new theater
as at the Rialto, it will cost between $75,000 and $100,000 a month to run the
theater, and it may be difficult to keep prices low, Weber said.