Is there a chance that Westport will be getting a new movie theater?

Yes.

Westport could soon be a place where the community can come together and enjoy a screening of current releases. But this is not the first time this has been possible.

Westport has a rich history with movie theaters. In fact, Westport used to have four movie theaters downtown.

“This movie theater is going to be a great way to bring the community together as a gathering place for all ages. It gives people from all of the different areas of town a chance to come together,” said Douglas Tirola, board member of Westport Cinema Initiative.

The thinking is that it will be a great way to create activity and interest downtown. Movie theaters attract people to a location, so people can go downtown and shop and eat before they see a movie.

Going to the movie is still one thing people can do for leisure and entertainment that is affordable. A theater might be a profitable business and one that is accessible to everyone.

Also, the movie theater, according to Tirola, will be welcoming and geared towards all ages, which will create an environment for both families and friends to gather. Kids and adults alike will be able to see a new release, but they will also be able to see films of the documentary variety that are more artistic and perhaps less mainstream.

The combination of types of movies is perfect for the town because people can see major films but also be able to experience the unique styles and impact of movies not typically shown at a big theater.

Justin Dusenbury, a student of Bedford Middle School and lover of the arts, has a similar response as Tirola. “Yeah, movie theaters are great. They can teach kids many things about the arts, and it’s even better if it only takes them five minutes to get there.”

Although many people are for the new theater, others have different opinions.

Some think that the movie theatre is not such a great idea. Some taxpayers are concerned that a movie theatre is not the best investment, and they fear it won’t make a profit. This is because taxpayers want a business that will get a lot of revenue, so that the town can collect more taxes from it. Another concern from downtown store managers is that there is limited parking downtown to support a movie theatre. This may cause traffic jams, car accidents, and difficulty finding parking spaces. No one wants to be late to a movie, but people don’t want to be looking for a parking space for an hour instead of shopping.

Another concern from shop owners is that the movie theater may take away from their businesses. “I have previously worked in towns where there were movie theaters, and the town usually becomes a place for movies, not shopping. It will bring more opportunities, but usually people are just walking around before their movie, not really coming into the stores to buy merchandise.” said Melissa, store manager of J. Crew.

One upside to the concerns is that the movie activity usually happens at night, when downtown is not as crowded. Although this is not a complete resolution to parking and business costs, it is a good point to consider.

There has been ongoing debate over whether or not a movie theater is the best way to fill the new space downtown and what will go there if the movie theater doesn’t.

“The question about the movie theater downtown is not if it will happen, but when.” said Tirola. “It’s up to the Westport community to decide if they are ready to take on this project right now.”

There are definitely some details to work out, such as the complicated parking situation, as well as business aspects and town support. It’s up to Westport, and it will be exciting to see what happens as we watch this project play out.