The Kamas Theater has its business permit and passed its fire inspection. Now, it just needs its public viewing license.
Blanca Partida, who is reopening the theater with her husband Reed Bearbower, couldn’t be more excited. Although, she said it’s always scary opening a new business.
They expect to be screening movies by Thanksgiving weekend. Partida said the single-screen theater will feature a variety of family-oriented films and new releases.
“I take my kids to the movies all the time, and it's nice to hang out with my kids even though some of the movies I wouldn't preferably watch,” she said. “It keeps me close to my kids.”
The family-friendly focus began early on Halloween, with a haunted house.
“So we're giving treats to the kids, we're going to have popcorn and a little treat bag for the kids,” she said. “It's just like a haunted house except at a movie theater.”
It has 148 seats, about 40 fewer than before. That’s to comply with Kamas City parking code for theaters, which used to be one parking spot per two seats.
At a meeting in early October, the city council met Partida and Bearbower in the middle. The council raised the minimum to one spot per five seats, and the couple removed some seating.
The final step is securing a license to actually screen the films.
Once it’s open, Partida and Bearbower are going to call the theater the Kamas Entertainment Center, to signal it's a place for events, the performing arts and not just movies.