Highland Park Fire Chief Pat Tanner handed the City Council some bad news about the Highland Park Theatre at its last meeting: it will cost $90,000 in safety upgrades just to reopen one of the theater's four screens.
Though some City Council members believe reopening the theater may be worthwhile for the nearby businesses, many Patch readers think it's time to sell it off without putting anymore money into it.
"Why the city got involved with this theatre I'll never understand," writes Paul Doppelt. "They should sell this property immediately."
Reader Stuart Senescu agrees, going as far to suggest the city tear the building down and just sell the empty lot.
"The City should put the building up for sale and cut its losses," he writes. "Don't throw good money after bad."
But not all readers have given up on the theater. On Facebook, Matt Feddermann suggests the city sell it to an entity that will turn it into a music venue or a BYOB (Bring Your Own Booze) theater. Stashs owner Bobby Dubin recently opened two BYOB restaurants in the same space and has been pleased with the results.
AJ Chalom is one of the few readers who believes the city can turn a profit on the theater. She believes it comes down to improving the way it's managed.
"Don't let it sit, properly manage and promote it to attract teens, families, and local residents," she writes. "Give it a Facebook page, put movie times on the DBA website and the city website. Don't let it just deteriorate."
What do you think? Should the city spend $90,000 to reopen part of the Highland Park Theatre? Or should it leave it shuttered until it finds a buyer? Leave a comment or submit a blog post here.
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