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Ever try to watch a whole movie on your phone or tablet?
We have, and we must say it leaves more than a little to be desired.
It also takes some getting used to for those of us about 40 or older who didn’t grow up in the digital age and are not yet accustomed to consuming such entertainment with head fixed for a long period of time at a screen small enough to hold in your hands.
Let’s not mince words here, streaming isn’t going anywhere, nor should it.
But as the digital age continues to bring us new gadgets and wonders, it still has not come close to replicating the century-old tradition of cinema.
By that we mean going to theater and seeing your favorite film franchise or actor or actress on the big screen complete with amazing clarity and sound.
The ambiance also offers something you just don’t get sitting at home on the couch with iPad in hand.
The faint smell of buttered popcorn wafting through the air; the experience of watching a movie with a crowd as you anticipate the next laugh, or thrill, or scare; a screen that seems big enough to almost pull you into the plot.
We point this out now for a reason, of course.
R/C Theatres Wilkes-Barre Movies 14 not only gives us the big-screen experience, it attracts a boatload of people to downtown.
To be a little more exact, theatre landlord Joe Amato said the movie house lures some 400,000 annually.
That’s a lot of people with money in their pockets who help support other businesses, making R/C a very important piece of the downtown puzzle.
But the venue is looking to upgrade and it needs some help.
That’s why Amato and R/C are asking for $500,000 via the state’s grant program funded by revenue from casino gambling.
R/C will use the money to significantly renovate its space and add moviegoer-friendly amenities such as recliners. (Just ask people from big cities. They all watch movies in big, comfy chairs now, not those basic flip-down seats.)
Critics might say a private business and businessman should pay for this stuff by themselves, not with the help of public money.
But in this instance, R/C and Amato make a compelling argument.
First, they have their own skin in the game. Amato and R/C are pledging $1 million each for the project.
Second, this venture would seem to benefit not just the landlord, the tenant and their patrons.
Those vying for the money estimate the overall project would have a $15 million economic impact, create 42 temporary construction jobs, preserve 45 existing jobs, and lead to more than $2 million in local taxes and fees.
On top of all that, R/C’s future downtown could get foggy if the project doesn’t happen. And it’s unclear if the work could happen without the state money.
Amato told the Times Leader earlier this week that R/C’s lease runs out in about 18 months.
That time frame makes the proposed undertaking even more critical, since you know the theatre won’t be going anywhere if the money is approved and the renovations are slated.
As outgoing City Administrator Ted Wampole said this week: “It would be a shame if downtown Wilkes-Barre didn’t have a movie theatre.”
Ditto that.
City council needs to approve this funding application.
Hopefully, that helps the money get here.
— Times Leader