Vermillion movie experience to be ‘reimagined’
University of South Dakota and Vermillion leaders have come together to save the town’s two movie theaters.
In the age of Netflix, the movie-going experience has changed for many college students. Often, it’s sitting in a dorm room and streaming a movie. The Vermillion Downtown Cultural Association wants to change that.
“I do think there is a certain (aura) that you get when you’re at a theater,” SGA President Sami Zoss said. “I think it’s the experience you go for.”
Zoss will represent USD students on the VDCA board, the group that purchased the Coyote Twin and Vermillion Theater in July, to bring the movie-going experience to students and the community.
“The theaters were on the market for several months and a small group of us were concerned that if they weren’t purchased, they would be at risk for closing,” VDCA President Bill Anderson said. “That wasn’t an option that we believed the community could or should consider,”
Changes to the Coyote Twin Theater began right away, USD Dean of Students Kim Grieve said.
“I think when people come, they will really see the improvements, but that’s just the beginning,” Grieve said. “We’re going to have lots of improvements.”
Grieve, who serves on the VDCA board, said they cleaned the Coyote Twin Theater over the summer and built a website where patrons can purchase tickets online. The theater also now accepts credit cards.
Thanks to financial support from USD, the Vermillion Area Chamber and Development Corporation, and other community groups were able to begin work on Coyote Twin this summer. The group hopes to reopen the Vermillion Theater as well.
“We want to focus our first work on that theater so that we can enhance the experience there (the Coyote Twin),” VDCA Treasurer Greg Redlin said. “A successful effort at the Coyote Twin will allow investment in the Vermillion Theater, where we will need new projection and sound equipment and some major building repairs in order to re-start operations.”
The Coyote Twin theater will continue to show box office hits, while the goal of the Vermillion Theater will be to show independent films, documentaries and allow organizations to show requested films.
Students at USD will begin to see the impact of the new theaters immediately. Movies in the MUC will no longer take place, but students will be encouraged to attend movies at the Coyote Twin theater. Students with their Coyote Card will pay $6 for a majority of movies and $5 for late matinees.
2005 was the last time the national average for ticket prices was near $5, according to the National Association of Theater Owners. In 2014, the national average was $8.17.
[notification type=”success” title=”Fact box”]Prices: evenings Adults: $8.50 Military/Non-USD Students with ID: $7.50 Children/Seniors: $6.50 USD Students with ID: $6.00 early matinees General Population: $6.50 USD Students with ID: $6.00 late matinees General Population: $5.50 USD Students with ID: $5.00[/notification]
Ted Muenster, director of the VDCA, said through this project he found how important theaters are to tying the community together.
“Investing in, purchasing the theaters and raising funds for renovation made sense to community leaders and helped us build momentum toward the purchase and – we hope, soon – a complete reimagining of the movie experience in Vermillion,” Muenster said.
Programming this fall, in addition to box office hits, will include cult classic movies like “Pulp Fiction” to provide an experience not just to community members, but bring culture to college students, Zoss said.
Friday will be the first event of the school year, a showing of “Don’t Look Back” starring Bob Dylan. The collaboration between Vermillion Theaters and the National Music Museum will begin at 9:30 a.m. with coffee and pastries.
Bringing other students into the theater conversation is important to Zoss. She plans on asking for feedback from other SGA senators during one of their first meetings of the year, she said.
The association will also be creating committees to work on the theater, which will allow students to contribute to the conversation.
“I think the town relationship is very important for everybody that lives in this community, to make sure it’s a vibrant community where people want to come, want to have a good time and stay in this community,” Grieve said.
Zoss said she’s excited to see what happens this year with the theater and where students take it after she graduates.
“I know I won’t be around, but as an alumni (the Vermillion theaters) are going to be one of my favorite things to come back and visit now because I got to be a part of the beginning (of) it,” Zoss said.
