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published on 09/25/2008
Carmike Cinema Moving to 12-Screen Multiplex on Downtown Haney Block
By
Downtown Partnership
Downtown movie-goers will be soon be enjoying all-stadium seating in a new 12-screen multiplex when Carmike Cinemas relocates its downtown theaters one block to the south. The site, commonly referred to as the Haney Block, is located between Broad and Chestnut and Third and Fourth Streets, has been owned by RiverCity Company since 2003, and currently serves as a 241-space Republic Parking lot.
The announcement was made by the RiverCity Company, which will own the building and lease it to Carmike for 20 years. The multiplex is the first phase of a 100,000 square foot commercial development project that will eventually include the retrofitting of the current Bijou Theater space owned by CARTA and the construction of 30,000 square feet of new mixed-use commercial space adjacent to the new theater.
“This is a tremendous development for downtown. Not only will we be building out a key downtown block, we will also be reenergizing a critical traffic generator for restaurants and businesses. The existing theater was a major influence on the resurgence of downtown, and we anticipate the new theater will propel us further,” said RiverCity president, Paul Brock.
The new theater will have five more screens than the current Bijou, and the total number of seats will increase from 1,100 to 2,500. Plus, the move to stadium seating and state of the art digital projection will restore the downtown theater’s competitive advantage, says Mr. Brock.
The project represents another in Chattanooga’s long line of public/private partnerships. Two local foundations, Lyndhurst and Benwood, are contributing a total of $1.5 million. Hamilton County and the City of Chattanooga are being asked for their support of the project in the form of a tax abatement on the non-educational portion of property tax.
Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield applauded the announcement, citing the movie theater’s importance to the overall success of the city. “The Volkswagen lesson taught us that relocating businesses pay a lot of attention to the vitality of a downtown area, and the movie theater has been a huge catalyst for after-hours activity,” said the Mayor. “Everyone benefits from an active and attractive downtown.”
Allen Corey, CEO of Gordon Biersch, states, “We operate restaurants in urban centers across the country and those downtowns with entertainment centers are more vital and vibrant. Entertainment centers cause people to come together which creates a true sense of place and community and that is good for all downtown participants.”
The project is good news for CARTA, since the anticipated increase in traffic should have a corresponding impact on parking in Shuttlepark North, and the redevelopment of the Bijou space will produce additional operating revenue for the transportation agency. RiverCity expects the new theaters, coupled with the addition of over a thousand new downtown residences, will create new interest among retailers for the 25,000 square foot space.
The project will be the first LEED-certified movie theater project in the country. Chattanooga-based Artech is designing the building, which will be constructed to resemble the brick warehouses that once occupied the district. “We hope people will look at the building and think they’re looking at a historic structure that has found a new use,” said Mr. Brock.
Construction will begin in December with opening scheduled for November 2009 in time for the holiday movie season.
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