> As I reported several weeks ago, the world famous Cinerama Dome in Los > Angeles has been involved in a struggle between preservationists and the > Cinerama's owner, Pacific Theatres chain, which has planned to gut the > theatre and facade, in order to build another shopping mall. Adding insult > to injury, Pacific has requested $10 million in public funding from the > L.A. > City Council for the project. The following is my summary of an update > letter by Doug Haines (The Friends of Cinerama), submitted to the List > with > his permission: > > Sadly, on August 5, 1998, the Cultural Heritage Commission denied the > Cinerama Dome landmark status. According to a member of the Commission, > this > decision was made after City Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg applied heavy > pressure to the Commission, so that Pacific Theatres can go ahead with > their > plan to gut the Cinerama Dome's auditorium and convert the lobby and box > office into a restaurant and bar (latest reports call for KOO KOO ROO > chicken). Councilwoman Goldberg is also pushing the effort to publicly > fund > the desecration of one of Hollywood's most important cinema history > landmarks. Pacific Theatre's own environmental Impact Report conceded that > the Cinerama Dome is not only fully qualified for L.A. and California > Landmark status, but also meets the requirements to be placed on the > National Register of Historic Places. > > Ironically, the Cultural Heritage Commission never seriously considered > the > issue, because economic concerns took precedence over cultural issues; > this > despite the fact that the Commission received more letters in support of > the > Cinerama Dome's Landmark nomination than any other nomination in the > agency's history. Goldberg who has likewise received more letters on this > issue than any L.A. Councilperson has ever received on any issue has > dutifully turned the letters over to Pacific Theaters. > > Despite these setbacks, the battle against big capital and corrupt > politicians continues. Hollywood Heritage, the Los Angeles Conservancy and > the Friends of Cinerama are filing a lawsuit against Pacific Theatres and > the Community Redevelopment Agency. The next battle will be in City > Council, > where Councilman Joel Wachs takes a dim view of taxpayer handouts to > developers. > > You can do your part by sending/faxing letters to Joel Wachs and Mayor > Richard Riordan: > > Councilman Joel Wachs Hon. Richard Riordan, > Mayor > 200 N. Main RM 402 200 N. Main Street, > Suite 800 > Los ANgeles, CA. 90012 Los Angeles, CA. > 90012 > Fax: 213 680 7895 Fax: 213 485 > 1286 > > > > Chris Horak > > Jan-Christopher Horak > Director > Archives & Collections > 100 Universal City Plaza, 503-LL > Universal City, Ca. 91608 > 1 818 777 7571 > 1 818 866 5120 (fax) > [log in to unmask] > ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama.