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The Oxnard
Journal got some hefty e-mails in response to this posting in favor
of the downtown theatre -=- so in the interest of fairness, here are
some samples:
To:.....Suzanne Quitoriano
Redevelopment Projects Manager
Community Development Department
305 West 3rd Street
Oxnard, Calif.
Via: ..... Mayor and Members of
Oxnard City Council
Re: Downtown Theater Project
Since the project has been
approved, I am wondering what it will cost the taxpayers. We are to
receive 5% interest on funds loaned. What is the city paying now for
borrowed funds? What has the city paid for borrowed funds
historically in the last ten years by year? What is the expected
annual expenses of the theater operation less the cost of the movies
themselves? What is the expected average attendance at the theater
for the times from of 5:30 to 9:30 Friday and Saturday nights and
11:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Sundays? I estimate there should be at least
1,200 people for each of these periods, for each of those days for
the theater to be economically viable. How will the traffic patterns
be changed to handle this amount of traffic? I expect there will be
at least 400 people arriving and 400 people departing between show
changes. Downtown Oxnard cannot handle 200 cars in a one block area
in a 30 minute time frame. How will it handle 400 cars (200 leaving
and 200 arriving)? Previous studies indicate that the patronage
actually needed is at least triple my estimated numbers. What do your
studies show to be the necessary number of people to attend the
theater for it to be economically viable? What is the basis of those
numbers and how current are those numbers? My studies show the number
of people going to the movies in the last ten years has been
declining. What do your current studies show? What is the basis of
those numbers?
It is the expectation and purpose
of the theater to have people stay in downtown for a period of time
prior to or after they attend the movies. What is the expected number
of people to stay in downtown Oxnard before or after attending a
movie? How will this affect parking? The parking structure is
expected to hold 500 cars. What is the basis for the need of planned
parking? Downtown Oxnard is the host of several weekend events during
the year. The Chalk Festival, the Salsa Festival, and holiday parades
are just some of the events that draw people to downtown. How will
these events be affected by the theater? Who will park where? In as
much as 30% of the people who attend movies are between 12 and 21,
does the City of Oxnard and the downtown merchants really want 100 to
300 young people congregating in such as small area? Will a stronger
public safety presence be needed? Considering the gang presence in
Oxnard, what are the ramifications of having multiple gangs attending
the movies at the same time?
Considering the large Hispanic
population of Oxnard, is the theater expected to have continuing
showing of first run movies in Spanish only? Will these movies also
be in English?
The Magic Johnson chain of theaters
contain many state of the art features. Please compare and contrast
the proposed theater with the Magic Johnson chain.
Sincerely,
Larry Stein - December
10, 2002
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from Martin Jones
You
should take a look at the DDA before you approve of a project that
will cost the taxpayers over 40 million dollars.
MJ
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Downtown Theater
Hi Bill --
Read your comments on the
proposed downtown theater. While I agree that something has to be
done, I don't think a simple movie theater will get the job done. It
just doesn't have the "pull" to get folks to drive five
miles from the 101 through eight or nine (or more!) signalled intersections.
One idea that has worked in other
places uses first-run movies in concert with other features. The idea
is to match the needs of working families with the desire of
operators to make money.
One possible implementation
envisions a dinner theater approach. After settling the kids with the
sitter, mom and pop arrive to partake in dinner and drinks while
local talent performs on stage. After their meal, the movie starts
(the service of alcohol ceases). This gives mom and pop a nice time
to themselves and home before 10. A win-win situation that works
exceedingly well every place it's been implemented and has the "pull"
needed to be successful.
One,
way-too-boozy-but-it-has-on-line-presence, is Indianapolis' Hollywood
Bar and Filmworks:
http://www.filmworksonline.com/
.
They show flickers (and booze)
all day but have the early evening hours devoted to the dinner and
"night out" concept. Filmworks has been a going thing for
more than 15 years.
Another consideration in all this
is the burgeoning "home theater"pushed by the electronics
industry. I can sit here at home, pop a DVD into the machine, and
enjoy a 60" high definition rendition of a movie with 7.1
surround sound that far exceeds the sound systems in all but
THX-equipped movie theaters. If I want to smoke or pop a beer or
crack crabs, I can do that, too. It's been at least two years since
I've gone to a movie theater where I have to sit in the dark with a
few hundred folks I neither know nor like and have to behave myself
and be quiet and sit still and miss part of the flick if Nature calls.
Oxnard's downtown needs a lot of
help. This multiplex, IMNSHO, isn'tgoing to help it one bit.
Name withheld pending notification
of next of kin .
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MGM
HOME THEATRE CONTEST
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..... the original
incomplete story
Oxnard
is always on the brink of making so many bad mistakes with
developing projects in the downtown
{ Cornell Corrections } and by
not keeping an eye on other projects they approve [ ie-Planet Hollyrood.]
BUT - Now the City has done
something remarkable by finding a good working partner for the Downtown
Theater and Parking Complex - so that project was approved by the
Council in Short Order.
A letter by the Editor of the
Oxnard Journal published in the VC STAR - the letter was Bill
Winter's take on the College Park RUSH TO JUDGEMENT. The VC Star
graciously published that submission and with hope and prayer, the
letter did the right thing in Regards to Collage Park.
BUT - The Oxnard Journal and
it's editor are not always against every project the Council
proposes, it's just that the rash of recent projects over the past
decade have really sucked.. . . and Now a good one has come along.
The OxJo will seek to gain some
inside information on the Theatre and from thence, stay tuned....
But let it go on record that the
Oxnard Journal supports the new Theatre Project.
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