4-Screen Landmark-style Cinema could spur nightlife, be a comparatively easy victory
Submarine or no, I thought as long as we're discussing downtown attractions, I'd share what the people who live downtown and run stores downtown want most: a movie theater. Downtown *CRAVES* a movie theater.
Downtown's district council - the CapitolRiver Council - recently surveyed more than 250 downtown residents, and a movie theater was the clear #1 request for a new store or amenity. #2 was a grocery store open evenings, which now seems as if it may happen on its own. (See http://www.capitolrivercouncil.org/content.asp?id=109). The Council also surveyed downtown retailers, and guess what? A request for a downtown movie theater was tied as one of the top two requests (See http://www.capitolrivercouncil.org/content.asp?id=114). Retailers tend to have a pretty good idea what is best for them. When you combine the research, a movie theater was the clear consensus between constituencies.
So to finesse this a bit, and inject a little personal opinion, the attraction I'd most readily spend public money to create is a 4-screen Landmark-type Cinema St. Paul, as part of the development in the empty lots across from Marshall Field's or Union Depot, or on one of the West Publishing riverfront parcels. (Landmark Cinema is the owner of the Lagoon, Uptown and Edina Theaters to our west). I think it would be helpful to attract light "arts" movies in particular. Something at this smaller scale wouldn't bleed us dry, is achievable, has widespread support, and would clearly would help spark some new nightlife, and complement the direction we've already established. Spend any time looking at Uptown Minneapolis to see its impact there. The market for movie screens is wide open in St. Paul. Minneapolis has only a 25% larger population, yet about 400% more movie screens.
Now let me answer the inevitable corollary. Six years ago, in a downtown with thousands less residents, Galtier Cinema closed. I believe it closed because it was in an inaccessible location on the third story of a largely empty and failed shopping center, which was owned by people who want to privatize most of the space, and have since done just that. The common wisdom is that Galtier Plaza and Cinema failed before it ever opened. The Galtier Cinema was more mainstream, and at times the selections seemed out of touch with its natural downtown constituency. The slightly more "arty" Landmark Cinema would complement the direction I think downtown wants to go, and would be geographically more centrally located. It would be the anchor of a more easterly hub of nightlife (besides Grand Avenue). Meanwhile, I think a more mainstream St. Paul cinema can and should anchor the renewed Midway neighborhood, perhaps in the Cleveland Circle area, or perhaps (later on) on the West Side Flats.
Downtown residents and retailers have established some priorities for investment in attractions. The one that rises to the top in the opinion research is a movie theater. Perhaps in the next couple years, there is a way we can push a workable movie theater concept forward. And personally, I believe there's a way to do it without it being too big, or tying it to a megaproject. Bottom line: a Landmark movie theater is a way to score an easier win with downtown residents, businesspeople and the larger community, is comparatively achievable for a smaller city investment, and would do much to complement and spark new and existing nightlife downtown. It would put downtown nightlife back on the metro area's cultural map.
Respectfully,
Bob Spaulding Downtown Resident
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