SEATTLE — A beloved Belltown staple is one step closer to re-opening its doors.
Seattle’s Finance and Housing Committee passed a proposal Wednesday to provide a nearly $1 million grant to help SIFF reopen the Cinerama theater.
Funding issues put the theater’s future in jeopardy. Now, the City of Seattle is looking to help it reopen. In exchange for financial assistance, SIFF would be responsible for providing, currently undefined, benefits to the public.
The proposal, sponsored by Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis of District 7, is part of Council Bill 120618 which seeks to amend the 2023 budget finalized in Ordinance 126725. The first amendment proposed in CB 120618, which passed a key vote Wednesday, would give SIFF a one-time $950,000 grant.
“I am grateful to my colleagues for their support in advancing this critical investment to reopen the Cinerama and activate our downtown,” said Lewis. “The public benefits unlocked by this proposal will further strengthen our reputation as a center of film culture.”
This grant would help SIFF purchase a South Lake Union building and support SIFF’s programs and services that will help revitalize the community. As a one-time grant, the funding would be supported by the Admission Tax revenue, which came in higher than projected in 2022. The grant would be taken from the Arts and Culture Fund.
CB 120618 will now go to a full council vote on Aug. 8.
If the bill is approved, an agreement on a public benefits package would need to be reached between King County Executive Dow Constantine and the Seattle Film Commission before the funding could be provided. The package may include items such as job creation, goods and services, focusing on racial justice and social equity, and revitalizing the surrounding neighborhood of Belltown.
“SIFF is honored that this space, which has provided a truly powerful experience for filmmakers and film lovers alike, is now in our hands. These funds would make it possible for us to open the theater’s doors to the public as soon as possible,” said Tom Mara, SIFF executive director. “We’re very eager to see the seats full again and to elevate what this space can do for artists, theater-goers, and the city at large.”
Cinerama opened in 1963 and became incredibly popular. Paul G. Allen's estate bought the theatre in the 1990s. After closing its doors in 2020, the Seattle International Film Festival, a nonprofit organization, bought the Cinerama in May. SIFF will not be able to keep the theater’s name due to trademark licensing. SIFF has not released what name it will open under.