The former Emerald Cinemas building in Amsterdam’s Perth Plaza (photo: Sara Rizzo)
AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Emerald Cinemas, located at 136 Perth Road in the town of Amsterdam, closed in 2019. This left Amsterdam without a movie theater, with the closest one being the Johnstown Movieplex, about 20 minutes away.
Now, a game store owner and a filmmaker are teaming up to reopen the cinema. Misael Gomez, the owner of Game Jungle in Amsterdam, and Jeff Knite, the President of Dark Knites Entertainment, are planning to rename the theater Dark Knites Cinemas with Game Jungle.
“We hate traveling 20 to 25 minutes away to go to the theater,” said Knite. “It’s been four years since we had a theater here and everybody talks about it all the time. We know for a fact if we reopen the theater, people will go. People want something to do.”
According to Knite, Gomez’s store Game Jungle, currently at 292 East Main Street, will be moving inside the cinema. They will also be putting in an arcade.
As for the actual movies, Knite said they will be showing the newly-released mainstream Hollywood films, as well as independent films shot locally, including his own. Knite’s new film, “The Omicron Killer,” is in post-production and will premiere in the theater.
Knite and Gomez, both Amsterdam locals, have a letter of intent to lease the space. Knite said they are currently looking for financing.
They will then need to remodel the theater, which will take about four to five months, said Knite. Gomez and Knite are hoping to open Dark Knites Cinemas with Game Jungle around Thanksgiving.