Capitol Theater to reopen this year

Macau’s former Capitol Theater is scheduled to reopen in mid-2017 after undergoing renovation.

The reopening of the renovated theater, originally scheduled for 2016, was delayed due to legal disputes among shop vendors over managerial rights and ownership.

William Kuan, an investor in the theater, noted that judicial proceedings for the old theater are set to end.

“The litigation among the shop owners on the ground floor is finishing. After it finishes, there will be a large-scale and comprehensive renovation project. Then we’ll have a base for the cultural and creative sector,” said Kuan in a TDM report.

“With the water and electricity supply in place, it’ll only take two to three months to finish the work. We’re hoping to reopen the cinema in the middle of this year,” the investor added.

Kuan said the renovation works would not alter the size of the current building.

Movie projection equipment could still be found in the old theatre, which had been in a dilapidated condition for many years.

The cinema, which will screen local movies and classic films when it reopens, houses 380 seats.

In 2015, vendors operating inside the Capitol mall voiced their opposition to the building’s impending transformation into a cultural and creative facility.

However, the committee claimed that a settlement had since been reached.

The renovation will reportedly cost MOP20 million.