Grand Theater nearing completion

Ken Johnston
Editor

Its almost “Lights, Camera, Action” time at the brand new movie theater in Baudette.

Everything but the seats are in place and members of the committee who made the project a reality are chomping at the bit to get the place open. However the target of opening September 1, 2001 had to be delayed as the special fire resistant fabric for the seats was back ordered, hence delaying their delivery and the installation of them, the carpet and fabric for the walls.

However, Sherry Valley of Baudette said Monday that she heard the seats arrived over the weekend and that means opening is probably about a week to two weeks away.

At present the 32’X15’ screen is up, the theater is all set for the seats, carpet and wall fabric, the concessions area is nearly completed, the $4,500 (US) popcorn popper is in, the projector and sound equipment have been installed.

A manager, Jerry Cox, has been hired. Cox worked at the original Grand Theater a number of years ago and is ready to get back at it in Baudette. Yes the committee chose to keep the name Grand Theater. Valley said that through out the project people kept calling it the Grand Theater and that, “The name kind of took on a life of its own and stuck.”

Both Baudette and Rainy River have been without a theater since 1993. Since that time many people have travelled as far away as International Falls on a regular basis to see movies. That has increased the risk of movie goers getting into an accident on the highway. A community foundation was formed in Baudette in 2000 and its first goal was to reduce that risk and get a theater built locally.

Valley said that everything came together real well with the construction phase coming in under budget and on time. While the committee members were disappointed that the seat problem cropped up they are content to know that the theater will be open by the end of September.

The new facility will house 150 good quality rocking seats. While that is half the number the old Grand Theater had, they are confident that it will suffice for the area.

Valley noted that they are working exclusively with a film broker who deals only with one screen movie houses and that he has been a big help.

Members of the committee also travelled to other communities to see one screen theaters and get tips to help make the new theater as “Grand” as the old one and likely even better. Cass Lake, Minnesota proved to be the most compatible model on which to base the new Grand.

Experts were brought in from Minneapolis to install the projection and sound equipment. People from that same company also will install the seats and the fabric on the walls.

The fabric on the walls will help an already sound proof room produce an even better quality sound during the movies.

The admission fees have been set at $5 (U.S.) for adults and $4 (U.S.) for kids and seniors.

It is hoped that people from as far away as Warroad in the west, Morson in the north, Stratton and Birchdale in the east and Waskish in the south will come to the theater.

As for what the first movie will be, Valley is keeping a lid on that. She said that it will depend on what is coming out when they open and also that they have some ideas as to what they would like to show.

The Grand Theater will likely be open by October 1st and a “GRAND” opening will take place not to long after that.