Cinerama Dome & Hollywood Arclight Could Reopen In Sony Deal

Key Points:

• Sony is reportedly in talks with Robertson Property Group to lease and reopen the historic Cinerama Dome and Hollywood Arclight multiplex in Culver City, which has been closed since 2020 due to the pandemic.
• The Sony-owned Alamo Drafthouse dine-in theater chain is expected to play a role in the revival, with plans to remodel and update the venue by 2026.
• The Cinerama Dome and Hollywood Arclight were previously major box office draws and important launchpads for independent and arthouse films, especially during awards season.
• The property’s previous operator, Decurion (Forman family), went bankrupt during the pandemic, leading to closures and lease takeovers by other exhibitors like Regal, Amazon, and AMC; however, the Forman family aims to retain ownership of the venue.
• The Cinerama Dome is a unique architectural landmark, known as the only concrete geodesic dome in the world, and has cultural significance, including a cameo in the 2019 Sony film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.