AMC confirms Westdale movie theater has permanently closed

Confirming what has been apparent for months, AMC has officially declared that the AMC Classic Westdale 12 movie theater complex in southwest Cedar Rapids has closed for good. “AMC Classic Westdale 12 has permanently closed,” reads a message on AMC Theatres’ website for the former Cedar Rapids location. The message then advises customers to visit the nearest AMC Theatres location in Dubuque. Until recently, the same page had listed the theater as “temporarily closed,” even as the Google status for the theater flipped periodically between “closed until further notice” and “permanently closed.” Local development officials have said they’ve been unable to contact AMC officials for information on the property, and AMC hasn’t responded to numerous phone calls and emails requesting more information on the facility’s status. The building itself has been completely shuttered, and all signage has been removed. Cedar Rapids assessor records Spirit Master Funding LLC, a company specializing in “real estate investment trusts or related mortgage assets,” as the deed holder for the site. Assessor records also indicate that the property’s assessed value was reduced from $7.825,400 to $5,635,546 in 2019 as the result of a Cedar Rapids District Court case involving American Multi Cinema Inc. and the Cedar Rapids Board of Review. Carmike Cinemas opened the theater as the Wynnsong 12 in February 1999, with a grand opening featuring movies such as “Varsity Blues,” “My Favorite Martian” and “A Bug’s Life.” It was acquired by AMC in 2016, and was first closed in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite company assurances that the theater would reopen when the pandemic subsided, it never did. Two movie theaters remain in the Cedar Rapids metro area – the 16-screen Marcus Cedar Rapids Cinema at 5340 Council St. NE, originally opened as the Wehrenberg Galaxy 16 Cine, and the locally-owned, five-screen Collins Road Theatres at 1462 Twixt Town Rd. in Marion.