By Janet Jacobs

Daily Sun



Corsicana is getting a new $7 million movie 8-screen movie theater and game center, it was announced Thursday at the Corsicana Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

Cinergy Cinemas will be located at Corsicana Crossings, next door to the Home Depot and roughly behind the Russell Stover Candy factory. The planning and zoning commission quickly voted to approve the replatting of the property, opening the door for the company. Following the vote, the audience of more than 30 people applauded the move.

By moving quickly, the theater could be open by June 30, 2010, the release date on the next “New Moon” movie, said Jeffrey Benson, chief executive officer of the company. Jerry Bauer is helping develop the project.

The 33,798 square-foot theater will include a mini-bowling alley, which has shorter lanes and smaller balls than a traditional alley; a 70-game arcade center, two “birthday rooms,” and eight theater screens, two of which will be equipped with 3-D projection and 50-foot screens; two will have medium-sized screens and two others will be smaller screens. The theaters will seat up to 1,183 people. There will also be room to add four additional screens later on, Benson said.

When it’s up and running, it should employ 50 people, he said.

The center will have a full restaurant-style kitchen, and will serve pizzas, burgers, chicken sandwiches as well as the usual movie fare, Benson explained. It will also serve beer and wine, something which sets it apart from other theaters, he said.

“We have big plans, obviously,” Benson said.

Cinergy already owns a similar center in Copperas Cove, but that facility has laser tag instead of a bowling alley.

Benson predicted the company would do well in Corsicana.

“Corsicana is one of the largest cities in the state that does not have a modern, stadium-style cinema,” Benson said. “And we offer something different than the other theaters, too.”

He described the concept as one-third family entertainment, referring to the arcade and mini-bowling alley, one-third restaurant and one-third movie theater.

The center could draw from up to 30 miles away, an area encompassing 100,000 people, Benson said, citing market studies on the project. He expects his customers to come from Navarro County, Ellis, Freestone, Limestone, Hill and Henderson counties.

Benson said his mother was from Ennis and the family farm is still in Ellis County. He chose Corsicana for the company’s second project because he was familiar to the area, and because economic development director Lee McCleary was so helpful, he said.

“The whole area’s near and dear to my heart,” he said.

Before starting the Cinergy Cinemas company, Benson owned two other theater companies, Driftwood Theatres and Movie Tavern, which is a dinner/movie concept. When he sold Movie Tavern company in 2008, it had 12 complexes in five states.

This latest effort took about a dozen years to realize, he said.

He said it was important for the new chain to include not just movies and food, but also family entertainment.

Having a new movie theater and entertainment center was one of the businesses the area is lacking according to various surveys, said Lee McCleary, Corsicana and Navarro County Economic Development Director.

“If you’re looking back at all the surveys and needs analyses of Navarro County, or the United Way needs analysis, what continued to show up is a lack of entertainment for kids and family,” McCleary said. “This is a no-brainer.”

Having a new entertainment center at Corsicana Crossing will also help draw other businesses to the area, McCleary said.

“I think it’s going to be significant,” he said. “It’s a huge magnet, not just for Corsicana Crossing, but Navarro County as well.”

Because the concept is so unusual, he expects it could bring in customers from Ennis, Athens, Avalon, Mexia, and as far south as Buffalo.

Funding for the project is coming from Community National Bank & Trust of Corsicana.

“What we do is look at the project, and if we feel like they’re well-managed and well-capitalized and have the ability to succeed, that’s what we do,” Hitt said. “We’re trying to support community growth, and we think it’s definitely in demand.”

“We felt like it would be a good fit for Corsicana, and a good fit for our bank,” Hitt added.

Between 75 and 100 temporary construction jobs will be created. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for January 6 on the site.

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Janet Jacobs may be reached via e-mail at jacobs@corsicanadailysun.com. Want to “Soundoff” on this story? E-mail: soundoff@corsicanadailysun.com.