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1875 said:
if UD can support a cinema how can the beltline not?
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I'm thinking whatever little footfalls Eau Clarie Cineplex still gets, that would be gone with a Beltline movie theater. 🙁

The population isn't large enough yet to support 2 theatres in the Core area. As far as University District goes, it'll be interesting to see how it competes in footfalls.
 
gsunnyg said:
I'm thinking whatever little footfalls Eau Clarie Cineplex still gets, that would be gone with a Beltline movie theater. 🙁

The population isn't large enough yet to support 2 theatres in the Core area. As far as University District goes, it'll be interesting to see how it competes in footfalls.
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It's likely the Eau Claire theatre's days are numbered if they aren't already, even if it survives long enough for the Greenline to take it out. Even prior to this, they clearly had no interest to renovate the current theatre and are essentially running it into the ground. I think a full service movie theatre in the core would be a slam dunk if it's more transit accessible and modern. Repurpose part or all of Telus Convention Centre or a few floors of the Bay building - something directly on 7 Avenue at a station.

Previously there was a theatre in Bankers Hall from 1990 - 2000. Obviously, a couple things have changed since then so I think it would be worth it to make another go of it:
  • Local population has boomed. City Centre neighbourhoods went from 26,000 in 1990 (when Bankers Hall Theatres opened) to 28,400 in 2000 (when they closed) to 45,000 in 2019, with no sign of a slow down soon. Meanwhile the city went from 690,000 in 1990, 850,000 in 2000 and 1.275M in 2019 - broader, deeper and more diversified overall market than 1990 and 2000 for theatres.
  • Transit system has improved substantially - including the West LRT and extension on all lines. Further catchment into a core demographic missing from downtown but transit-dependent and movie-loving: teens living in the burbs.
  • All we have is space downtown. Not all of it could be repurposed for theatres, but surely something could at a reasonable cost near 7th Avenue. Office, food courts and corporate event space demand is all way overbuilt to current demand is likely to remain minimal for years/decades. Perfect time for conversions.
  • All the synergetic benefits that come from a theatre being directly in the action on 7th Avenues - downtown mall, Stephen Ave + close access to the Beltline, other indoor and outdoor concert venues nearby, revamped Arts Commons / Glenbow etc.
It's all a reasonable foundation to build a new theatre on. Broader trends aside (i.e. COVID and streaming to name a few) someone should definitely look into it
 
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CBBarnett said:
It's likely the Eau Claire theatre's days are numbered if they aren't already, even if it survives long enough for the Greenline to take it out. Even prior to this, they clearly had no interest to renovate the current theatre and are essentially running it into the ground. I think a full service movie theatre in the core would be a slam dunk if it's more transit accessible and modern. Repurpose part or all of Telus Convention Centre or a few floors of the Bay building - something directly on 7 Avenue at a station.

Previously there was a theatre in Bankers Hall from 1990 - 2000. Obviously, a couple things have changed since then so I think it would be worth it to make another go of it:
  • Local population has boomed. City Centre neighbourhoods went from 26,000 in 1990 (when Bankers Hall Theatres opened) to 28,400 in 2000 (when they closed) to 45,000 in 2019, with no sign of a slow down soon. Meanwhile the city went from 690,000 in 1990, 850,000 in 2000 and 1.275M in 2019 - broader, deeper and more diversified overall market than 1990 and 2000 for theatres.
  • Transit system has improved substantially - including the West LRT and extension on all lines. Further catchment into a core demographic missing from downtown but transit-dependent and movie-loving: teens living in the burbs.
  • All we have is space downtown. Not all of it could be repurposed for theatres, but surely something could at a reasonable cost near 17th Avenue. Office, food courts and corporate event space demand is all way overbuilt to current demand is likely to remain minimal for years/decades. Perfect time for conversions.
  • All the synergetic benefits that come from a theatre being directly in the action on 7th Avenues - downtown mall, Stephen Ave + close access to the Beltline, other indoor and outdoor concert venues nearby, revamped Arts Commons / Glenbow etc.
It's all a reasonable foundation to build a new theatre on. Broader trends aside (i.e. COVID and streaming to name a few) someone should definitely look into it
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I believe Vancouver has only 1 major movie theatre in its downtown. Toronto Downtown, south of Bloor, has 3. Montreal seems to have only 1 as well, with another Imax one. So it does make me doubt if our Downtown/beltline area can handle 2.

A movie theatre solely can't rely on an 18-35 year old crowd. It needs other audiences as well, such as families for Sunday shows. Our Core area demographics don't consist of enough families and teenagers. I do agree that a movie theatre along 7th avenue or 8th would be a slam dunk,. It would add more life to Stephen ave after 5pm. I think the Telus convention Centre could be ideal for converting to a theatre if the City has no use for it after the BMO center expansion.
 
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