Crown Coming

The Violet Crown cinema in the Santa Fe Railyard is starting to look like an actual building, and for a space that remained a gaping hole in the dirt for years as officials jockeyed to find a theater developer, that's progress in itself.

But don't be satisfied with just that.  Owner Bill Banowsky says films will really be showing there in April.

"We're making great progress on the theater," he tells SFR. In addition to being a swanky setup where theatergoers can enjoy meals and beverages that far surpass the popcorn and soda fare of standard theaters, Violet Crown is also looking to partner with various community groups.

"We've had a number of really positive conversations about how we can work together to utilize our cinema space in a way that is helpful to what they are doing," he says.

The Railyard Violet Crown, which with its 11 screens is nearly three times as large as the original Violet Crown cinema in Austin, expects to start advertising for its 50 to 60 new jobs in February, says Tammy Walters, operations manager.

The cinema will be seeking experienced workers for its key positions in the kitchen and as bartenders, she says, but will also hire a number of ushers and food runners who don't require experience.

Sandy Brice, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit that manages the Railyard for the city, is excited about way Violet Crown is approaching the project.

"It's going to be a very local-feeling place, unlike most national theater chains," she says.

Santa Fe Reporter