Wednesday, November 19, 2008

The shows will go on ...

New Loma Theater owner hopes for December opening

Gerald Garner Jr. El Defensor Chieftain Editor

There might be a Hollywood ending for the Loma Theater after all.

Complete with a hero riding in to save the day, it appears the local movie theater's future has been secured and the grateful masses should soon make their appearance.

Incline Village, Nev., businessman Todd Bloomhuff-- owner of Bloomhuff Entertainment Inc. and Bloomhuff Theaters — said he plans to reopen the city's Loma Theater as the New Loma Stadium Cinema by the second week in December.

The Loma Theater, one of the longest running movie houses in all of New Mexico, announced last month that it would drop the curtain for the last time on Oct. 23.

Bloomhuff came across an El Defensor Chieftain article about the eminent closure while scouring movie-related Internet sites and decided to do something about it.

"I came across your article on a Web site and, about a day before the theater was set to close, I called Holm Bursum III and flew down to New Mexico the next day," Bloomhuff said from his Nevada office.

Bloomhuff spent several days in the community speaking with citizens young and old in an effort to determine just how bereft the residents would be without a movie theater experience.

It didn't take long for him to realize that Socorro was a perfect fit for his company.

"Socorro is a community that was looking for an opportunity," Bloomhuff said. "After spending several days there, I believed in the community and believed that the theater needed a new lease on life so I decided it was a great fit."

With 18 years of running theaters in the sometimes-fickle West under his belt, Bloomhuff knows what it takes to succeed — especially in a small town.

"You've got to give the people something they want," he said. "But, if you're able to do that and give them more in the process, it's a recipe for a great relationship."

By virtue of simply reopening the theater's doors, Bloomhuff appears to be well on his way to giving the movie-going public what it wants. How will the new and improved cinema deliver more?

"The New Loma Stadium Cinema will indulge you in a mix of Hollywood and art films, a full-service snack bar and comfortable seating, while being surrounded by top quality digital audio and visual equipment," a Bloomhuff release reads.

The theater aspect, he explained, comes with the blending of new stadium-style seats with the existing flat-floor format. Nine rows of flat-floor seats will be followed by 9 rows of stadium seats.

All of the seats will be wider and will be arranged with more breathing room between them. Although the theater will only seat 200, the trade-off should not cause anyone too much discomfort, Bloomhuff said.

"It's all about comfort and luxury for this theater," he said.

Other improvements will include new heating and air conditioning systems, a remodeled lobby and two films playing weekly. Tickets are $5 for all shows.

Handling the remodeling is Socorro's own Christensen Builders.

Not everything changes

While big changes are afoot, some familiar faces are still part of the new theater's picture.

First State Bank and its president, Holm Bursum III, have invested "significant dollars in remodeling and renovating the theater," Bloomhuff's original release reads. And longtime Loma staffer Betsy Moya stars as the onsite manager.

Bursum III said he's thrilled to have Bloomhuff coming in and taking over the theater.

"He is an ambitious, motivated and enthusiastic young man," Bursum III said. "We feel very fortunate and grateful to be doing business with him."

The First State Bank president said he hopes the community helps to welcome and support Bloomhuff and his business.

ggarner@dchieftain.com

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