Uptown Cinema fades to black
After 40 years of entertaining local moviegoers, Uptown Cinema Centre has closed its curtains for the final time.
The Landmark Cinemas theatre ceased operations last Friday, nine days after rival Cineplex Entertainment celebrated the grand opening of its new 10-screen theatre in Gasoline Alley.
That facility, which opened in March, features stadium seating and digital surround sound.
Calls by the Advocate to Landmark were referred to Neil Campbell, the company’s chief operating officer. Campbell’s voice mail indicated that he is away until next week.
However, he was quoted by other media as saying the Uptown’s closure was inevitable with the opening of Galaxy.
Ironically, the multi-screen theatre in Gasoline Alley was announced as a Landmark project in 2006.
The following year, Landmark applied to Red Deer County to scale back the project’s design to reduce costs.
And in February, it was announced that Cineplex was taking over the project, which was by then well under construction.
Since opening Galaxy, Cineplex had reduced ticket prices at its other local property — Park Plaza Theatre — to reflect its more modest amenities.
Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob said during Galaxy’s grand opening that a decision had yet to be made about Park Plaza’s future.
Georgia Sourtzis, a communications manager with Cineplex, declined to comment on Friday about the impact Uptown’s closure might have on Park Plaza’s continued operations.
When the Uptown opened in 1968, it was Landmark’s second theatre.
A recorded message on Uptown’s information line thanks the city for its patronage over the years.
