Movie Theater Wants Free Admission

The latest on the new proposed movie theater has taken a turn many people anticipated.  Mr. Bonacio gets $3 million dollars in tax breaks or the deal to build the 11 screen theater and 2 floors of inexpensive office space is called off.  Saratoga Springs, the County and School District need money, giving it away seems like a step backwards.  The deal seems to benefit Bonacio and screw the 3 entities .Several posters to the article had some good points.  “There are never 11 movies at a time that ANYONE wants to see. How about 2 screens with first run movies” said ‘myupstater’, “How about the first floor for parking, the theater on the 2nd floor and offices on the 3rd floor? Without the parking I wouldn't grant him the right to build” by native_saratogian, Joe F said “Neither a movie theater or "modern" downtown market is needed. What's next? Perhaps a mini Times Square or a Trump Tower. My survey says most people moved to the area to get away from this type of growth and continued increase in population” and “I'd like to see something more useful than a movie theatre in town. Perhaps a theatre like Proctors. Catching a show or concert in the midst of winter would be sweet.”.

        Of course Mayor Johnson & Commissioner Franck are all for giving Mr. Bonacio all the tax breaks he wants.  The attorney for Mr. Bonacio, Matt Jones estimates that $2.5 million in concession sales will generate needed sales tax unless he also wants us to give that income up for 10 years.

I stated before in previous post that the Mayor should move fast to have the zoning board institute the code that you must provide parking for either square feet or by a number of potential customers.  We needed additional parking downtown and it seems we are creating businesses where we will be creating more of a mess than before.

        I guess that’s progress, but in the end we the citizens will be footing the bill.