Now Showing in Indiana

If you’re wondering what’s happening with the Kerasotes-owned and shut-down Varsity Theater – an alert reader (aren’t you all?) sends this related development from the Bloomington (Indiana) Herald-Times (1-8-2005)

Movie theaters sold to new owners still will be useful as movie theaters if a law written by State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington passes this year.

Two theaters in Bloomington that once were part [of] the Kerasotes group – the Buskirk-Chumley (previously named the Indiana) and the Von Lee – have restrictions on their use by other owners. Kerasotes will not allow first-run movies to be shown in either building.

‘It’s time to put a stop to a practice that deters the preservation of historic theaters and blocks any opportunity to keep a movie theater in operation,’ Pierce said in a prepared statement. ‘It is clearly a restraint of trade that limits competition.’

House Bill 1308 would void restrictions in future real estate sales that prevent movie theaters from continuing to show films. . . .

This bears watching . . . If a similar bill were to pass in Illinois, then Carbondale’s venerable Varsity venue could once again vend vicarious thrills on the big screen.