Kassi Luja
kassiluja.md@gmail.com
Fremont Theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo is set to reopen Thursday with the showing of the action adventure film “A Good Day to Die Hard” and “Safe Haven,” based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
The historic theater closed on Jan. 31 because of an expired contract between Fremont’s owners, Rob Rossi and John King, and theater management company, The Movie Experience — also known as Sanborn Theatres.
Rossi and King underwent negotiations with The Movie Experience chief executive officer Bruce Sanborn to renew the contract. This resulted in a new, one-year lease.
“We prefer to have a long-term lease with the right to remodel it,” Sanborn said. “But it’s not our building, it’s not our decision.”
King, who has been an owner of the theater for more than 20 years, said they want to make improvements to the property.
One plan in the works is building an IMAX theater behind the existing Fremont Theatre.
“There are plans there,” King said. “It’s really going to be subject to future negotiations with IMAX.”
But until then, community members can enjoy Fremont’s reopening.
“I didn’t know (they were reopening),” economics senior Monica Custodio said. “That’s cool.”
Custodio said she is excited about the news and can now consider seeing a movie there tomorrow for its Valentine’s Day reopening.
While Fremont will be showing films on Thursday, it will also be a venue for various special events such as concert shows and weddings.
“There will be opportunity for that to occur more often,” King said.
In addition to these events being held at the theater, Sanborn said they want to bring the SLO Rewind series back to Fremont.
On Monday, there will be a showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
“We want suggestions,” Sanborn said. “We’d like the students to send (suggestions) into us, what they’d like to see.”
Along with Fremont’s reopening and hopes of bringing back the rewind series, community members can also look forward to a mobile app debuting in approximately two months that will provide showtimes.
For now, community members can view showtimes via The Movie Experience website.