(Atlantic, Iowa) – Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bailey Smith said “We have been getting requests for comment regarding everything going on with the sale of the movie theater.” Smith says “We were made aware a few weeks ago of plans to sell the theater building to a local church, ensuring the closure of our long-standing family entertainment center. The Chamber and CADCO formed a buyer’s group to purchase the property and secured a buyer for the business portion of the theater, who had a business model that would create a positive cash flow. After meeting with all parties involved to come to an agreement that would benefit everyone, we were notified last week our offer was denied and the decision remained to sell the property to the church.” The theater is being purchased by the New Life Church.

She adds “Our organizations are very aware of the struggles COVID-19 brought and what our business community had to endure with closures. Running a theater, when you’re not allowed to be open, is one thing. Running a theater when Hollywood halts production and/or sends movies straight to streaming is another. CADCO assisted in the financing of the theater and has been supportive throughout the entire three years of ownership. During the pandemic, the Chamber offered the theater a business grant to help alleviate costs as well as ensure the theater was at community events to help boost their revenue. We thank the community for all of their support and popcorn purchases to help the theater during this time.”

Bailey Smith stressed “This closure is not due to lack of community support, and we will continue our efforts to ensure generations to come get to experience that same, buttery excitement.”

She adds, “The Atlantic Area Chamber of Commerce and Cass/Atlantic Development Corp. (CADCO), while separate entities, have a shared goal that we work towards every day: make Atlantic the best place to live, work and play. We combine our resources daily to ensure current business needs in our community are being met while also focusing on recruitment of entrepreneurs and businesses that will continue to grow Atlantic. One asset that we have always relied on in our recruitment efforts is the movie theater, now known as Atlas Atlantic Cinema.”

Any further questions may be directed at Devin & Rylea Anderson, the New Life Church or the Board of Adjustment. Devin & Rylea Anderson, owners of the movie theater have issued a statement of the matter: “We are hard at work this winter on our movie schedule, our merchant movies, and our winter popcorn samplers. We continue to rent the movie theater to the New Life Church on Sundays and will support them as they appear before the board of adjustments to get a conditional use permit for their activities in the theater building.”