Maumee 18 theater complex to close by end of summer
6/10/2010Rave Motion Pictures, which bought the area's four largest theater complexes in December from National Amusements Inc., has decided to close the Maumee 18 theater complex at 1360 Conant St. in August or early September.
The company confirmed the closing Thursday, saying it had determined that there were too many movie screens in the south Toledo area. Rave also owns the theaters at the Shops at Fallen Timbers in Maumee and at Levis Commons in Perrysburg as well as the ones at Westfield Franklin Park in Toledo. It bought them in December from National Amusements Inc.
The new owner plans to improve its Fallen Timbers site. It is adding 3-D projection technology to one screen there and is considering adding a much larger screen there, a spokesman said.
The Maumee 18 is Rave's largest theater in the area. It has 4,600 seats and 33.5 acres. National Amusements spent $12 million when it was built in 1997, and Rave spent $4.7 million to buy it in December.
The company took on the leases at the Levis Commons, Fallen Timbers, and Westfield Franklin Park cinemas. It doesn't own those buildings.