River Ridge mall getting new movie theater
Advertisement
Text size: small | medium | large
By Bryan Gentry
Published: May 16, 2008
Value City will close at River Ridge mall in July, and next year will be replaced by a 14-screen movie theater, the mall’s owners announced Friday.
The new 2,400-seat theater, managed by Regal Entertainment Group, is expected to open in fall 2009.
The change will also create 16,000 square feet of space for new specialty stores, said a news release from CBL & Associates Properties.
“It’s going to be nice. I’ve seen the design of it, the typical design,” said mall manager James Dolan. “It’s going to be definitely an asset to our community.
“We’re real excited. We look forward to working with the construction folks. We think that
this is definitely an asset to the mall.”
Dolan said the movieplex will bring more traffic and “continue to make the mall a destination point for entertainment.”
The 56,000-square-foot theater will include high-backed plush chairs in stadium seating and digital surround sound, according to the release.
The smaller theater at the mall will remain open until the new theater is finished. It then will be converted to retail space, Dolan said.
The Value City store will close sometime in July, Dolan said. Demolition will begin the following week.
Dolan said a good guess as to Value City’s current employment would be about 75 people, most part-time. Officials from Value City did not respond to confirm the number of the store’s employees.
The Value City discount department store moved in to River Ridge mall in 1998, replacing Montgomery Ward. It was the chain’s fourth store in Virginia, according to News & Advance archives.
Last October, Value City signed an agreement to sell up to 24 of its stores to Burlington Coat Factory. In January, Value City’s former parent company sold the chain to VCHI Acquisition Co. Since then, more stores have been closed.
Post a Comment
Please Log In
Comment posting requires free registration with Lynchburg News Advance.
Already have an account? Please log in.
Can't find what you're looking for? Try our quick search:
Reader Reactions
Posted by ( Puffin ) on May 27, 2008 at 8:02 am
Jen Jen—my post was about MUSIC - no where did I even mention alcohol. Why does LU associate music and dancing with drinking? There even used to be teen dances in the Burg way back before some group decided dancing was going to send us all to the devil...........and pls. take note I said dancing NOT drinking.........A certain Place I know kills more people’s brain cells than alcohol.............
Posted by ( JenJen ) on May 22, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I would love to see Lynchburg support more music events, especially during the spring/summer months when we could utilize and encourage more events to happen on the river front.
Posted by ( JenJen ) on May 22, 2008 at 3:22 pm
If “nothing fun to do” means, nowhere to go get drunk and act foolish, I say “thank you” to whoever is responsible for that! I get tired of hearing people complain that there is nothing to entertain young people, when really we should be teaching the next generation to be entertained by being creative and using their minds instead of killing brain cells.
Posted by ( Puffin ) on May 21, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Why can’t Lynchburg get something associated with music - there was more to do here 40 years ago than there is now as far as hearing live music, bands, etc. If I were in my 20’s no way would I live in Lynchburg. You have to go to Roanoke for festivals, concerts, night clubs, etc.
Posted by ( Puffin ) on May 21, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Why can’t Lynchburg get a NIGHT CLUB with LIVE music? There was more to do here 40 years ago, music-wise and adult entertainment-wise than there is now.
I wonder WHICH ENTITY we can thank for putting all the fun clubs out of business. If I were in my 20’s, no way would I live here. There is NOTHING to do - except go to Roanoke for festivals, live entertainment, concerts, etc.
Posted by ( wokisan ) on May 20, 2008 at 8:12 am
grandpa24551,
I don’t think you have to worry about that. This deal will pretty have Regal put Carmike out of business. It should not affect Cinemark/Movies 10 at all. This is all about first-run movies.
Posted by ( grandpa24551 ) on May 19, 2008 at 8:46 am
Since I’m retired, I’ve been happy that we have Cinemark here, aka “the Dollar Theater”.
Regal Cinema in the Washington, D.C. area charges $10 per ticket. And the popcorn and soft drinks cost more, too.
So count on spending $60, or more, for a family of four to see the latest flick.
My worry is that The Fix is in.
[Translation: due to some “Business Deal”, the Dollar Theater will be closed.]
Posted by ( wokisan ) on May 19, 2008 at 8:03 am
It is pretty ridiculous that a region our size has had no premier theater with stadium seating for so long. I’m glad someone finally stepped up to the plate and I look forward to watching first-run movies in my home city again. Carmike’s 2 theaters had gotten so rundown my family, friends, and myself had resorted to traveling to Roanoke to watch first run movies or simply waiting until they came out on DVD.
THANK YOU REGAL! It is long overdue and about time! You will get my business!
Posted by ( MADMAN ) on May 17, 2008 at 12:45 pm
First off to clear any rumors going around, Value City did not close the store due to lack of sales or the main office selecting this as one of the originals to be closed. NO!! The mgt. of River Ridge Mall terminated the lease with the store. Now I know that VC is not a Belk or Macy’s, but that store had many long time customers who are sad to see the store leave the “mall”. I will tell you this...VC has alot of full time emp’s. that will have to find another full time job, and with the economy the way it is...good luck. The article states that there will be more smaller stores going in the space as well as a theater...well next time you go to the mall look around and see all of the empty stores all ready there. River Ridge if a dump, and who in the right mind would want to open a new store their with the news of two new malls opening in the future? I wish the employers of VC the best of luck and always remember...when one door closes, another opens.
Posted by ( crispy daisy ) on May 17, 2008 at 12:05 pm
damalama, you sure are an angry person. You seem to hate pretty much everything in the entire world, and your reaction to everything seems to be outrage. I don’t know how you can complain so bitterly about a new business venture in Lynchburg.
I’m sure you’re right—Regal probably has billions of dollars lying around that they just don’t know how to spend, so they decided to throw it at a 14-screen theater in Lynchburg with no study at all. I imagine that’s how they make all their decisions. Some person associated with a mall somewhere calls them up and says “hey, build a 2,400 seat theater here” and the powers that be at Regal just say, “OK!”
How does this even affect you? It’s not your money or your theater. If you don’t want to see a movie at River Ridge mall, then don’t. Whether the theater succeeds or fails, it’s not going to impact you in any way.