Magic Johnson Theater to close for renovation
Emily Henry | 6-10-2010 | Comments |
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The Magic Johnson AMC theater opened in 1995 with the aim of bringing a top-quality multiplex to the Crenshaw community. Fifteen years later, the theater is long due for an upgrade. Doors will close this weekend for complete renovation: the theater will be gutted and screens rebuilt with the latest technologies. AMC hopes to be able to re-open the complex by Christmas.
The renovation is an initial phase of a $30 million Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza rejuvenation project.
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Ken Lombard of Capri Urban Investors, owners of the Baldwin-Crenshaw mall, said that the renovation is as important to the community as it is with regard to the overall redevelopment of the mall.
"Frankly, the reason why Capri made the decision to take this to the next level is recognizing that the community deserves a first class theater," said Lombard. "That's what Magic and I, that was the philosophy when we teamed up in the early days to open this theater. That's the same commitment that Capri partners and their investors has towards this community and this theatre."
District 8 Councilman Bernard Parks put the significance of the Magic Johnson theater into perspective and explained the importance of its renovation. "The theater came about several years ago and it was really during the renovation of the shopping center," said Parks. "The community really was concerned that there was no viable theater in not only the immediate area but the distant area, so it was a major issue for this community to have a first class theater."Eddie Jones, President of the Los Angeles Civil Rights Association, said that although the renovation is appreciated, closing the doors for six months or more will be damaging to the community. "For the meanwhile our community theater will be shut down, which means that people will have to get on buses and get in cars and go to other theaters but they won't be able to go in their own community," said Jones. "To me, it's hurting to people who love this theater: the Magic Johnson Theater."
Closed doors can't be helped, according to Parks. But the outcome, he promised, would be well worth the wait. "It will re-open as a first class, state-of-the-art facility," said Parks.
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