Former Employees Buy Desert Sky Cinema in Sahuarita

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High Sierra Theatres of Santa Fe, NM (Thomas Becker and Nick Sanchez, Partners) purchased the Desert Sky Cinema at 70 W   Duval Mine Road in Sahuarita, AZ for slightly under[mepr-show rules=”58038″]$1.4 million ($74 PSF). The 18,166 sq. ft. building with six-screens has all digital projectors and three 3-D theatres with a total 750 seating capacity.

Storyteller Theatres Corp. a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marwit Capital of Newport Beach, CA was the seller. Sanchez and Becker were both members of the Storyteller management team in New Mexico, Becker as Senior Vice-President and Sanchez as Director of Operations. Sanchez in this capacity was involved in the construction of the Sahuarita theatre in 2000. Both partners have extensive experience in the motion picture exhibition industry, with over 65 years combined experience.

Marwit Capital had been divesting of the Storyteller assets for several years and one day Sanchez and Becker decided to make inquiries on the Desert Sky Cinema for themselves. “It was their first choice,” according to Becker, “because Nick had helped build it, and because we both love the area and think one day of retiring there.” The local management and employees have all stayed on-board in the transition.

The purchase of Desert Sky Cinema is the first theatre in the company’s portfolio, as they continue to look for others in Arizona and the Southwest. High Sierra Theatres is an owner / operator / management company and plan to run the theater as much as possible as a community theater.

Becker explains, “In addition to the Hollywood box office films, we plan to bring back an ‘Encore Presentation of Metropolitan Opera’, and are working on a 42-week classic film festival to include Hitchcock, Welles and other classic films best viewed on the large screen. Although we haven’t reserved all the film names yet in the series, I can say, ‘Casablanca’ with Humphry Bogart and Ingrid Bergman will be in the lineup.”

The new owners encourage feedback from the community to bring as much alternative films as possible to the region and will also do private theater events with seating for 100 – 200 people. The theatre is also satellite equipped for additional special events.

Becker can be reached at (203) 943-1146 and Desert Sky Cinema should be contacted at (520) 393-1212.[/mepr-show]