UltraStar Cinema says theater plans ‘not a done deal’

Hold the popcorn, and put down the weekly movie listings.

If you’re among local movie buffs salivating at recent announcements in competing local media that Maricopa is about to get its first theater, you might even want to slide back in that chair.

In filmmaker’s terms, Maricopa’s proposed movie theater is, at best, in pre-production.

That’s the word on Wednesday from Damon Rubio, vice president of operations for UltraStar Cinemas headquartered in San Diego County, Calif.

“There have been a number of news stories in your area,” Rubio said, explaining that too much has been reported too soon.

“We are working with the developer and the city to see if we can bring a theater to town,” he said.

UltraStar operates 102 screens at 13 sites throughout Southern California. It’s most recent venture has been to expand to the state next door.

“We just completed a beautiful new theater in Surprise,” he said. “That is the same type of theater we would want to bring to the city of Maricopa.”

The Surprise multiplex opened in late May with 14 screens and 55,000 square feet and, like the proposed Maricopa theater, became the Northwest Valley city’s first movie house.

Its developer, Glimcher Ventures Southwest of Scottsdale, has been invited for the return engagement, should all parties choose to move forward with the project.

Rubio said more solid information should be made public within 30 to 60 days.

“We think Maricopa deserves a theater,” he said.

But whether when the much-anticipated entertainment destination actually debuts it will bear the UltraStar name, he couldn’t say for sure.

“I don’t know. It is not a done deal at the moment,” he said.

Meanwhile, while it is silent on Maricopa, the company’s Web site does mention the anticipated opening of a second Arizona site in Lake Havasu.

Click here for more information about UltraStar Cinema.

Photo of San Bernadino theater courtesy of UltraStar Cinemas