This is interesting. As someone who knows a bit about the theatre business in downtown St. Paul, I spent quite a bit of time at the Galtier Theater. I worked in all of the DT theatres, except the Lyceum and I wrote a business plan to bring a movie theatre to DT St. Paul for one of my MBA classes. A couple months after submitting this paper, it was announced that the new Galtier Plaza would have a multiplex theatre. IMHO, the one major factor that contributed to its doom was its lack of marketing. Yes there were significantly fewer residents in downtown then there are now. However, when I worked in the system, there were six theaters within a three block area. I don't know how many people lived downtown who didn't live in flop houses or single room occupancies. I do know most of the downtown residents did not have significant means. Most of the people who watched movies in downtown St. Paul came downtown. They then went to Bridgemans, The Blue Chip, The Showboat, Gallivans or one of the other bars or restaurants. The restaurants in the proposed location will offer the same benefits to hoped for theater. Of course this was before megaplexes and free parking. Part of Galtier Theater's failure is due, in my opinion to a complete lack of interest by theater and Galtier management to get people to the theatre. (In fact Galtier Plaza management did very little to get people into the building itself.) I think they had a deal with Subway once. But there was few if any ties to Fitzgerald's, Amelia's or other DT entertainment spots. The only promotion/marketing was an ad in the Pioneer press and maybe the Downtowner and Skyway News. With the location of its Marque you didn't even know what was playing until you reached the third floor. You had to know you wanted to see a movie and you had to make the choice to come downtown, or stay downtown to do it. There were few if any chance that someone walking into Galtier Plaza would notice the Marque and decide to go to a movie. If the proposed theatre is actually developed there will be street level Marque with attractions etc. This would, as a minimum, get the folks who drive or walk by on the way to and from work to think about going to a movie. I can't wait. But by the time something actually gets built and operational, I may just have enough time on my hands to go to a movie theatre anytime I want. Mike Fratto Payne Phalen
>>> "Bob Spaulding" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 02/05/2005 1:16:27 PM >>> SURVEYS SAY: DOWNTOWN UNITED BEHIND A MOVIE THEATER! 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 _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [email protected] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
