Crossroads theaters opening this week

The first completely new theater in downtown Salt Lake to open in 43 years will start operation Friday night.

This is the Crossroads Cinemas at the new Crossroads Mall on Main Street.  The theaters, first business in the mall to open, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Friday.   This will be attended by three vice presidents of Plitt Theaters, which operates the new showhouse – Ed Plitt of Los Angeles, Sam Plitt of Chicago, and Erwin Cohen of Chicago.

Also taking part in the ceremonies will be the Salt Shakers of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, with Blair Walkington as host; Charles Huggard, district manager for Plitt, and Cal Ellertson, manager for the theaters.

Jack Oakland and Sid Foulger, partners in Oakland – Foulger Developers, which have built the mall, also will be present.  Others taking part in opening ceremonies will be Danny Kramer, KSL personality, as emcee; the Utah National Guard, First Battalion, 140th Field Artillery, who will be in charge of presentation of colors, and the U. S. Postal Band, who will present music.

The theater consists of three auditoriums: 558 seats, equipped with 70mm Dolby Stereo; 508 seats with 35mm Dolby; and 502 seats with conventional sound and projection equipment.  Screens in all three cases are 16 feet (one and one-half stories) high and 36 feet wide.  Seats are rocker type upholstered, according to Huggard.

Entry to the theater will be through the West Temple parking or the foot entrance on North Temple.   Parking will be validated.

The theaters have been built along what is to be called Richards Street, named after the street that existed on part of the area now being occupied by the theater.

Although the Elks Cinema, Trolley Square Trolley, and Trolley Corners have opened near the downtown area, the Crossroads Mall is the first to open downtown since the Centre was built in 1937.

The Crossroads Cinemas are part of the Plitt circuit which now has 550 theaters nationwide and 20 screens in Utah and Idaho.