NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A treasured Brooklyn movie theater has closed after serving the community for more than two decades.
The Regal UA Court Street theater shuttered its doors earlier this month, reportedly without warning, taking many by surprise.
Rendy Jones, a 23-year-old Crown Heights resident, described as a “movie buff” by The New York Times, told the outlet he cried when he first heard the news on Twitter that the theater had closed.
“I started going there before I could even walk, either with my mom or dad,” he said. “I still have my ticket stubs. I’m looking at them now.”
Last week, a spokesperson for Madison International Realty, the property owner, said it “shared the community’s disappointment in the sudden closing of the Regal theater. We are in the process of assessing the situation and gathering more information.”
In a statement, Regal Cinemas said that it was forced to make the decision after it failed to reach an agreement with the landlord on a new lease, “reflecting the need for a major and very costly renovation” at the 13-story megaplex.
“Unfortunately, Regal was not able to reach an agreement with the landlord on a fair and sustainable rent that would have allowed for the very significant renovation investment needed,” a company spokesperson said. “Since the term of the lease had ended and the negotiations with the landlord failed, we instead had to close the location.”