OCALA, Fla. — Ocala taxpayers are on the hook to help a struggling downtown movie theater stay open. City leaders are split over whether public money should be used to subsidize the private business.
It's a downtown Ocala landmark. The Marion Theater first opened during World War II.
"Yeah, I like it there. My husband likes it there. The prices are reasonable," said Ocala resident Maria Parker.
Parker has bought a ticket or two since the Marion was remodeled and reopened in May of last year. The city owns the building. Eastwynn Theaters Inc. brought in brand new screens and projectors.
However, the theater hasn't turned a profit the way everyone planned, and the theater could now cost city taxpayers a lot of money.
After a first year loss of more than $100,000, city council just agreed to pay the theater's operator $5,000 to keep the movies showing through the end of April.
"Should taxpayers' money be used to keep a private business going?" WFTV reporter Berndt Pertersen asked.
"No. The answer is no," replied City Council member Daniel Owen.
Councilman Daniel Owen said the city should not be in the theater business, and many downtown merchants agree.
"For a selfish reason, I own several pieces of property downtown, and I'd love for the theater to be successful," said President George Carrasco of the Downtown Business Alliance.
Carrasco said many of shop keepers are not happy with the arrangement.
"Who picks and who decides who gets subsidized? That's the question," said Carrasco.
Owen doesn't think the city payments will go on for long or the theater for that matter.
Maria Parker doesn't want to see her tax dollars going to help the theater stay open.
"Our taxes are so high as it is. How much more are we expected to pay?" Parker said.
Owen said even if the theater was closed and vacant, it would still cost the city more than $2,200 per month to maintain the building.
City council tackles the issue again at its meeting next Tuesday.
WFTV
