Knox firm proposes nine-screen cinema in Pigeon Forge (Knoxville, Sevierville: 2010, house)

[Max4Speed]

Pigeon Forge may be in line for a new theater with an unusual attraction - movies.
While Sevier County is packed with live shows featuring everything from a 450-pound Bengal tiger to ostrich races, the choices are slim when it comes to the latest offerings from Hollywood.
A Knoxville development firm is hoping to change that, though. Holrob Investments is planning a nine-screen digital movie theater with more than 1,100 seats that would be at Walden's Landing, a shopping center on the Parkway in Pigeon Forge.
Currently, the only first-run movie theater in Sevier County is Reel Theatres, which operates a six-screen venue on Highway 66 in Sevierville.
Ned Vickers, a developer at Holrob and co-owner of Walden's Landing, said Monday that the new theater will have 3-D capability and stadium seating, with a five-screen first phase to begin construction in November. He said that venue should be open by May and that an expansion with four more screens should happen next year.
The plans also may resolve a legal headache for the development firm. Holrob previously had planned a dinner theater on the site, a move that had sparked a lawsuit from a firm with ties to Calhoun's Restaurant.
Vickers, though, said Knoxville restaurateur Mike Chase, founder of Calhoun's, is on board with the movie theater idea, and that both sides have agreed to drop their litigation. Chase could not be reached for comment.
Vickers said the project's total development cost is estimated at $3.5 million and that 12,000 square feet of shops will be demolished to make way for it.
He said the site is a central spot in Sevier County, where it will be easily accessible for local patrons and also will be in the middle of the tourist area.
"Sevier County has needed another theater for a long time," Vickers said. "It doesn't have enough screens for its resident population, not to mention the tourists."
The county's lone movie house seems to agree with that assessment. Todd Holt, owner and CEO of Reel Theatres Corp., said he doesn't anticipate that the Holrob project will be a problem.
"There's enough to share between us," Holt said.
Holt said his company is planning a $500,000 renovation that will include adding digital 3-D capability, in addition to making some updates to the existing structure. He said the company also is eyeing an expansion for sometime between July and November 2010 to add an additional three or four movie screens.

[BRH]

Wonder who'll run the theater? Regal, Carmike, Cinemark, or someone not currently in the market? I'd love to see Rave or Muvico come to the area. Both build really nice theaters. I especially love Muvico's themed theaters. (But, last I heard, I think Muvico was near bankruptcy).

[Kitties of Domination]

My guess is Regal since they're headquartered in Knoxville.

[Greeneguy]

On the subject of movie screens. Doesn't Knoxville have like 156 total movie screens?

[Kitties of Domination]

Originally Posted by Greeneguy

On the subject of movie screens. Doesn't Knoxville have like 156 total movie screens?

Is that alot for a city its size?

[Beretta]

This is sorely needed for that area; they only have one little dinky one right now. Not only would this be welcomed by the natives, I think it would help the vacation traffic in colder/cooler months.

[jabogitlu]

Originally Posted by Kitties of Domination

Is that alot for a city its size?

I wouldn't *think* so. Using just the city proper's population that's over 1,000 people per screen. Using the CSA, it's 6,000 per screen.

[mattbward]

No, that's a lot. Columbus Ohio only has 10 movie theaters and like 80 screens and nearly 800k people.