Sean C. Morgan
The Rio Theater’s new exterior improvements on the building being developed into a second theater are nearly done, owner Thomas Baham said as he and his son T.J. ran cables Friday for a new sound system.
Baham still has a lot of work left to do inside the new building, but just a few things remain outside.
Last year, Baham began sprucing up outside the theater, creating a new park space behind the theater, and purchased neighboring 1351 Main St., the former site of Deb and Beth Hair and Nail. During the spring, he went to work inside and outside the new building.
Connecting to the main theater through the current location of the men’s restroom, the new theater will include 55 new seats, including recliners, facing toward the back of the building where a smaller film screen will hang. At times, it will function as a dinner theater.
Baham installed new lighting and planter boxes in the parking lot last week and then continued working inside.
“I still have to put the wrought-iron fencing in between the planter boxes and lights,” Baham said. “We’re finishing up the park with the lighting.”
The final touch on the park will be a bear sculpture, Baham said. He was hoping to get that installed this year, but at this point, he isn’t sure it will get done.
Inside, Baham is moving forward on it a do-it-yourself basis, he said.
“The market’s so hot” contractor prices are up and they’re not available, he added.
He is ahead of schedule, he said. He’s done with framing. Plumbing goes in this week, and mechanical equipment goes in next week. After building inspections, a contractor is scheduled to install insulation. After that, Baham will install drywall.
In the next month or two, Baham will go to work on the marquee. He’s abandoned plans to take down and move the marquee. Instead, it’ll have some additions to tie the two buildings together and get some updated lighting and “get the neons working properly.”
The biggest question Baham said he’s getting, “Everybody’s asking us are we going to raise prices.”
Not for tickets.
“I don’t want to raise prices,” he said.
But give or take, it’s a $200,000 project, Baham said. There will be small increases in concessions, Baham said. A drink that costs $2.75 may increase to $3.
It’s not just the project though, Baham said. Minimum wage has gone up three times in the past couple of years, and he hasn’t raised prices.
Ticket prices won’t change, Baham said. “I’m trying to get people in the door.”
The Rio will charge a $1 or $2 admission premium for the more expensive recliners and dinner seats in the new theater, he said.