It's a day Muscatine has been waiting for since they first heard rumblings of a new theater coming to town. Now soon a new ten screen, 30,000 square foot theater will be standing on the plot of land near US-61 and Mulberry Ave.
The new theater will bring upwards of 30 jobs and about $9 million of investment into this 18 acre plot of land. It's not just the theater that's coming in, there's at least five extra plots of land with room for restaurants, hotels, and other businesses that want to develop around the area too.
Fridley Theatres is in charge of the development and says they've had several interested in getting involved, but no official word yet.
Right now, Muscatine's only theater sits in the mall and only has four screens. Residents say it's old, and there's not enough choices so they often go to the Quad Cities to catch a movie instead.
Now Fridley Theatres is hoping to keep the business here in Muscatine.
"We currently run a four-plex in the mall, and it's underserved for this community and are not capable of playing the pictures we want on a regular basis," Fridley Director of Operations Russell Vannorsdel says, "A ten-plex will fit this community perfectly."
Construction is already underway with the new theater opening up by early next year.
