Laramie Main Street is spearheading efforts to revive the Wyo Theater. The event Friday will feature food from Devine Eats and music from Hazel Miller & The Collective.
The most interesting disparity in Wyoming is perhaps the success of the Wyo Theater in Sheridan and the failure of the Wyo in Laramie. Sheridan is a -real- community. Laramie is a company town. Theater performances in Sheridan are on a quality level of Casper Symphony. Laramie can't manage 'local" stage productions in any theater in the city- and the BS "Laramie community" would not even support the dinner theater at the Wyoming Territorial Park! The (second-run films -only) deed restriction on the Wyo is probably illegal restraint of interstate commerce and doesn't matter (not worth challenging in court) because the world has changed since 2000. Streaming video now rules. First run film (in cinema) is a marginally profitable business at best. This year's release of blockbusters like TOP GUN has been followed in the third quarter by admission (by all major exhibitors like Regal) that the year will end up a bust- or flat at best- financially. There is no parking at the Wyo Laramie. On a year-over-year basis, no staffing continuity will pass on knowledge of how to turn the lights on...or any projectors...without causing damages. I think it will be lucky to reopen and be working at all. Revenue from -any-operations will never cover the cost of maintaining a 100 yo obsolete building. Look at the condition it is now- following superb restoration by the previous owner. It is a perpetual junk pile of a building, falling apart at the seams.
Unfortunately, what this article fails to mention (perhaps Laramie Main Street failed to give the writer this vital material information?) is that the Wyo Theater, years ago, was bound by a deed restriction that prevents it from showing "first run" movies - the only ones that are generally profitable. (The owner of the theater did this as part of a deal in which he also sold the Fox Theater, on 21st Street, to Trans-Lux, which in turn sold it to Regal.) Thus, at best, the Wyo can only be a "repertory" cinema... which, alas, is unlikely ever to turn a profit in the days of Netflix and other streaming services. For this reason, the Wyo Theater is virtually useless as a movie theater unless the deed restriction is lifted. Therefore, it might well be more cost-effective to demolish the building and use the land for a different purpose. It's a shame; I have many fond memories of shows at the Wyo. But unless there's a real need for an auditorium whose primary purpose isn't showing movies (perhaps a conference center?), it's a sad reality that the theater may not be worth renovating.
The most interesting disparity in Wyoming is perhaps the success of the Wyo Theater in Sheridan and the failure of the Wyo in Laramie. Sheridan is a -real- community. Laramie is a company town. Theater performances in Sheridan are on a quality level of Casper Symphony. Laramie can't manage 'local" stage productions in any theater in the city- and the BS "Laramie community" would not even support the dinner theater at the Wyoming Territorial Park! The (second-run films -only) deed restriction on the Wyo is probably illegal restraint of interstate commerce and doesn't matter (not worth challenging in court) because the world has changed since 2000. Streaming video now rules. First run film (in cinema) is a marginally profitable business at best. This year's release of blockbusters like TOP GUN has been followed in the third quarter by admission (by all major exhibitors like Regal) that the year will end up a bust- or flat at best- financially. There is no parking at the Wyo Laramie. On a year-over-year basis, no staffing continuity will pass on knowledge of how to turn the lights on...or any projectors...without causing damages. I think it will be lucky to reopen and be working at all. Revenue from -any-operations will never cover the cost of maintaining a 100 yo obsolete building. Look at the condition it is now- following superb restoration by the previous owner. It is a perpetual junk pile of a building, falling apart at the seams.
Unfortunately, what this article fails to mention (perhaps Laramie Main Street failed to give the writer this vital material information?) is that the Wyo Theater, years ago, was bound by a deed restriction that prevents it from showing "first run" movies - the only ones that are generally profitable. (The owner of the theater did this as part of a deal in which he also sold the Fox Theater, on 21st Street, to Trans-Lux, which in turn sold it to Regal.) Thus, at best, the Wyo can only be a "repertory" cinema... which, alas, is unlikely ever to turn a profit in the days of Netflix and other streaming services. For this reason, the Wyo Theater is virtually useless as a movie theater unless the deed restriction is lifted. Therefore, it might well be more cost-effective to demolish the building and use the land for a different purpose. It's a shame; I have many fond memories of shows at the Wyo. But unless there's a real need for an auditorium whose primary purpose isn't showing movies (perhaps a conference center?), it's a sad reality that the theater may not be worth renovating.