Today’s arts news, part deux: IMAX in Blacksburg?
It appears that Blacksburg might get an IMAX theater, though it’s not clear how big a screen this theater is going to have.
Regardless, a number of Roanoke readers are no doubt gnashing their teeth this morning. Infamously, the Taubman Museum of Art was originally going to include an IMAX Theater, but by 2005 the museum organizers chose to drop that idea, saying it would be too costly to maintain. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a similar decision made to reduce the size of the $66 million building, and so there’s still an enormous unused space on the museum’s second floor where the IMAX projector was originally going to go. To this day, there are Roanoke residents who still haven’t forgiven the museum for that decision.
Staff writer Jeff Sturgeon quotes Bruce Frank, CEO of Frank Theatres of Jupiter, Fla., as saying the IMAX screen in the proposed CineBowl & Grille could be “up to 100 feet wide,” which implies it could indeed be a classic IMAX 72-foot high screen. There’s been controversy in recent years over people paying the higher ticket prices for IMAX shows only to discover the screens are hardly bigger than a regular movie screen.
Here’s Jeff’s story:
First & Main may soon host an IMAX
Developers say the shopping center needs a dose of entertainment.
By Jeff Sturgeon
Bringing the region’s first IMAX cinema, the First & Main shopping center in Blacksburg will add a 60,000-square-foot entertainment complex featuring a 12-screen movie theater, bowling alley, arcade, and bar and restaurant under plans announced Wednesday.
The luxury, open-air shopping center, which is half-occupied in its fifth year of operation, met with limited success as an eating and shopping destination. Now it is moving in a new direction: entertainment.
The new complex will have 10 regular movie screens and two ultrawide screens, one with IMAX sound and projection equipment; 16 lanes of bowling; and premium arcade games for children and adults. Food — American cuisine — and drink — a wine list and 25 craft beers — will be available for consumption in a movie, while watching sports on big screens or in a lounge.
January 24, 2013 - 11:44 AM
Before people gnash too strongly, it’s no guarantee that it will be the true, original IMAX coming to blacksburg. IMAX used to be about a large format film being stabilized and shown on huge screens. In recent years they have used their brand name on much lesser technology and just hoped no one would notice. For the most part they haven’t, except those you’d expect. Mr. Ebert did a good piece on the bait-and-switch a while back. http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2009/05/thats_not_the_imax_i_grew_up_w.html
If it was determined years ago that Roanoke couldn’t support an Imax theatre
then what is Blacksburg doing right? I think there is a need for special films to be seen in the region so does this mean we must all drive to Blacksburg to see them? I guess Roanoke can’t let go of the silent pictures?
I understand there is an interest in Lynchburg for an Imax theatre.
The IMAX in Blacksburg will exist in a different context than the one proposed in Roanoke.
Since it will be part of a multi-plex with first run feature films. Many theatre operators such
as Lowe’s in the Northeast all have IMAX technology in their main screening rooms so from
Avatar to Gatsby you can see films in that format.
And driving “all the way” to Blacksburg isn’t a big deal for the 174,000 New River Valley residents
who live here…last time I check folks here sometimes need to drive “all the way to Roanoke” for
things and it isn’t a big deal. They are essentially one and the same.