Indian Hills Theater

Indian Hills Theater was a landmark movie theater in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Located at 8601 West Dodge Road, it opened in December 1962 with seating for 806 people and became Nebraska's first theater designed to present films in the Cinerama widescreen format. Its principal screen was reported to be the largest of its type in the United States, giving the venue a distinctive position in the era when specially built large-format cinemas were used to make theatrical film exhibition a major spectacle. The theater was initially operated by the Cooper Foundation. Its original auditorium was later supplemented by smaller screens as the economics and programming needs of cinema exhibition changed. A 300-seat auditorium called the Cameo was announced and completed in 1977. In 1987, two additional 200-seat auditoriums were announced; they were completed in December of that year. These expansions transformed Indian Hills from a single large-format venue into a small multiplex while retaining the main Cinerama auditorium as its defining attraction. Indian Hills was regarded as one of only a small number of American theaters still capable of showing Cinerama films. That technical capability, combined with the scale of the main auditorium and screen, made the theater important to film enthusiasts and preservationists even after Cinerama had ceased to be a mainstream exhibition format. The venue continued operating under Carmike Cinemas, but Carmike's bankruptcy contributed to its closure in September 2000. After the shutdown, community groups and other interested parties explored reopening or restoring the building. In April 2001, Nebraska Methodist Health System made an offer to purchase the property. Although restoration was initially hoped for by some supporters, Methodist ultimately stated that it intended to demolish the theater and use the site for a parking lot. The health system cited an estimated restoration cost of $1.7 million and declined either to restore the building itself or to sell it for preservation. The proposed demolition generated opposition from local citizens, film-industry figures, and historic-preservation organizations. Actors Kirk Douglas, Janet Leigh, and Patricia Neal, as well as director Robert Wise, wrote to Methodist urging that the theater be saved. The National Trust for Historic Preservation also supported efforts to preserve the building. In July 2001, approximately 115 people attended a protest. A city commission voted to grant Indian Hills landmark status, but the action came after demolition work had already begun and was widely viewed as unlikely to stop the process. Demolition began on July 17, 2001, with work on the three smaller auditoriums. The main theater was demolished in August, ending the physical existence of one of the few remaining purpose-built Cinerama venues in the United States. The theater's preservation campaign and destruction later became the subject of the documentary Saving the Indian Hills. Today, Indian Hills Theater survives primarily as a remembered Omaha cultural landmark and an example of the tension between modern redevelopment, operating economics, and preservation of specialized postwar entertainment architecture.

Indian Hills Theater opened in December 1962 at 8601 West Dodge Road in Omaha, Nebraska. Built for the Cinerama format, it was the first Cinerama theater in Nebraska and had an 806-seat auditorium. Its defining feature was a very large widescreen presentation surface, described in contemporary accounts as the largest Cinerama-type screen in the United States. The theater was originally operated by the Cooper Foundation. As the American cinema business moved toward multiplex operation, Indian Hills expanded beyond its original auditorium. A 300-seat companion theater known as the Cameo was announced in April 1977 and completed later that year. In August 1987, plans were announced for two additional 200-seat auditoriums; those screens were completed in December 1987. The additions enabled the venue to offer more conventional programming while preserving the large original auditorium as its architectural and technological centerpiece. By the end of the twentieth century, Cinerama presentation had become rare, but Indian Hills remained notable because it was believed to be one of only four theaters in the United States capable of showing Cinerama films. The property was later operated by Carmike Cinemas. Carmike's bankruptcy contributed to the theater's closure in September 2000. The closure immediately raised questions about whether the building could be reopened or restored. By December 2000, multiple groups had expressed interest in the property. In April 2001, Nebraska Methodist Health System offered to purchase the building. Preservation advocates hoped the transaction might protect the theater, but Methodist concluded that restoration would cost approximately $1.7 million and announced that the building would instead be demolished for a parking lot. The organization declined to restore the theater itself or sell it to another preservation-minded buyer. The proposed demolition became a prominent local preservation dispute. Citizens organized opposition, the National Trust for Historic Preservation endorsed efforts to retain the building, and prominent figures from the film industry—including Kirk Douglas, Janet Leigh, Patricia Neal, and director Robert Wise—sent letters arguing against destruction. Approximately 115 people attended a protest in July 2001. A city commission voted to designate Indian Hills as a landmark, but demolition had already begun and the designation was not considered sufficient to prevent the work. Work started on July 17, 2001, with the three smaller auditoriums. The principal theater was demolished in August. The loss ended the history of one of the United States' best-known surviving Cinerama venues and removed a distinctive example of postwar large-format cinema architecture from Omaha. The preservation effort and the building's destruction were documented in the documentary Saving the Indian Hills. Indian Hills Theater is now remembered for its unusually large screen, its role in Nebraska's cinema history, and the unsuccessful campaign to preserve it.

• 2001

  Preservation campaign and demolition

  [1]Indian Hills Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Preservationists and film figures oppose redevelopment, but demolition begins in July and the main auditorium is removed in August.

• 2000

  Theater closes

  [1]Indian Hills Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Indian Hills closes in September following financial problems associated with operator Carmike Cinemas.

• 1987

  Two further auditoriums are added

  [1]Indian Hills Theateren.wikipedia.org

  Two 200-seat auditoriums are announced in August and completed in December, expanding the venue into a larger multiplex operation.

• 1977

  Cameo auditorium is completed

  [1]Indian Hills Theateren.wikipedia.org

  A 300-seat additional auditorium known as the Cameo is added to the complex.

• 1962

  Indian Hills Theater opens

  [1]Indian Hills Theateren.wikipedia.org

  The theater opens in December in Omaha with 806 seats and becomes Nebraska's first Cinerama theater.

A purpose-built large-format cinema and later small multiplex positioned around an unusually large Cinerama screen and immersive theatrical presentation.

• Large-format cinema · 1962

  Cinerama auditorium

  The original 806-seat auditorium was designed for Cinerama, a widescreen exhibition format using an exceptionally broad image. Its screen was the theater's signature attraction and was regarded as the largest of its type in the United States. Even after Cinerama became uncommon, the auditorium preserved Indian Hills' importance to large-format film enthusiasts.

• Cinema auditorium · 1977

  Cameo

  Cameo was a 300-seat additional auditorium announced in 1977 and completed that year. It broadened the theater's programming capacity beyond the original Cinerama room and formed part of the complex's transition toward multiplex operation.

• Multiplex cinema screens · 1987

  Two 200-seat auditoriums

  Two further auditoriums, each seating approximately 200 people, were announced in 1987 and completed in December of that year. Their addition allowed Indian Hills to operate with multiple screens while retaining the original large-format theater.

• 2001Save Indian Hills preservation campaign

  Omaha · United States

  After the theater closed and Nebraska Methodist Health System proposed replacing it with a parking lot, local citizens and preservation advocates organized to retain or restore the building. The campaign received support from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and letters from several prominent film figures.

  Outcome. The campaign did not prevent demolition. The smaller auditoriums were demolished beginning July 17, 2001, and the main theater was demolished in August.

  Source

• 2001

  Nebraska Methodist Health System chooses demolition and parking-lot redevelopmentStrategy

  Background

  After offering to purchase the closed theater, Nebraska Methodist Health System considered the building in the context of its own property needs and the cost of restoration.

  Action taken

  Methodist declined to restore the theater or sell it for preservation and proceeded with plans to demolish the building and use the property for a parking lot.

  Aftermath

  The decision triggered protests, opposition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and film figures, and an unsuccessful attempt to secure landmark protection before the building was removed.

  Estimated restoration cost. (2001)

  Source

1. 1Indian Hills Theateren.wikipedia.org
2. 2Saving the Indian Hillsplainproductionsomaha.com