Action called on new Coolangatta theatre

THE Gold Coast will get its second new cinema in less than a year, with plans unveiled for a new theatre complex inside a major Gold Coast shopping centre.

Cinebar Licensed Cinemas will redevelop the former BCC Cinema space inside Coolangatta’s The Strand complex, six months after its closure.

The new theatre, to be known as Cinebar Coolangatta, will be aimed at the luxury experience and built around “state-of-the-art digital projection and sound” and “restaurant-quality meals, cocktails, wines and beers”.

Centre manager Kathryn Mills said cinemas were a key attraction for locals.

“(Event) Cinemas had called The Strand at Coolangatta home for more than 30 years,” she said.

“After their departure, we knew our southern Gold Coast community needed a quality cinema offering and we wanted to make sure we

Our southern Gold Coast community needed a quality cinema offering and we wanted to make sure we could bring this experience THE STRAND MANAGER KATHRYN MILLS

could bring this experience to our community.

“Early works for Cinebar Coolangatta have commenced, with visible works to commence shortly.”

The new cinema will open in early 2023.

Three cranes will be brought into Griffith Street in coming weeks as part of the construction works.

The former Events Cinemas-operated complex closed on March 9 after nearly 32 years of operation.

At the time, the company said it was “based on our commitment to continue reinvesting in Event Cinemas Robina and Event Cinemas Pacific Fair.”

The first iteration of the Coolangatta Cinema, The Capitol Theatre, was opened in 1924 by Ben-Hur star Ramon Novarro.

It was demolished in 1989 along with the nearby Regal Theatre to make way for the development of the Coolangatta Showcase Shopping Centre on the same site, which included the new Coolangatta cinemas. They were opened by Birch Carroll and Coyle on April 4, 1990.