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Work session explores 3D Theater proposal
Proposed location may prove problematic, according to Willaims City Council members

Paul Fraser, President of Blaze Partners, LLC, goes over parking figures during the 3-D theater work session held Aug. 21 at Williams City Hall.

Paul Fraser, President of Blaze Partners, LLC, goes over parking figures during the 3-D theater work session held Aug. 21 at Williams City Hall.

An Aug. 21 work session held at city hall delved into the particulars of a 3D theater proposed for the Williams area. Parking and traffic issues in the theater's proposed location were the main concern during the evening. Three members of city council were present for the session: Don Dent, John Moore and Kevin Young.

Mayor Ken Edes, Andrew Hamby, Vice Mayor Bernie Hiemenz and Dr. Jim Wurgler were not present for the work session.

Paul Fraser, President of Blaze Partners L.L.C., who represents MacGillivray Freeman Films (MFF), was also in attendance at the meeting to answer any questions that might arise. Fraser said the proposed theater location, between the Williams Recreation Center and the Williams-Forest Service Visitors' Center, would serve the needs of the theater perfectly. He said the theater's proximity to the railway and its accessibility to foot traffic was very important to developers.

"There's a market value to what 'proximity' means," Fraser said, adding that the theater would not be designed to bring in tourists, but "intercept" the ones who are already planning to be in the area. He said guests of the Grand Canyon Railway were very important to developers.

"The most important thing is that we're trying to build a very fun attraction," Fraser said, adding that locations were very important when compared to regular theaters, as the 3D theater does not turn over new films each week.

"We would expect a 50/50 break between Grand Canyon Railway guests and non-Grand Canyon Railway guests," he said.

Parking, however, would be an issue in the area, according to council member Don Dent, who also expressed concerns over tour buses that would need to turn into the area from adjacent streets. He said the buses alone could create traffic problems on Railroad Avenue and Grand Canyon Boulevard.

Estimates for parking, he added, would have to be calculated with high numbers in mind.

"We need to be way on the high end," Dent said. "This parking does not address buses at all."

Council members also spoke about the possibility of creating two-way streets to possibly alleviate some of the congestion and the possibility of moving some of the buildings in the area, such as the Babbitt Polson Building and possibly even the Williams Recreation Center, to accommodate parking for the theater. Other options, including enforcement of two-hour parking and moving the proposed location across the street to the city's current parking area, was also discussed during the Aug. 21 work session.

Williams city staff are also exploring options to purchase Burlington Northern and Santa Fe (BNSF) land that could be utilized for parking near the proposed 3D theater. Council members tabled a decision to lease the property during their regularly scheduled meeting July 26. Costs for the lease agreement would be $1,800 annually.

Another issue raised during the meeting included the reminder that the theater property in question would have to go to public bid before any decisions could be made - a process that could take months or years to complete, and that other interested parties would be interested in the land due to its prime real estate location.

Council member Dent said the land could not be sold indiscriminately and suggested to MFF developers that it might be faster to acquire private property for their proposed theater, as a public bid, BNSF issues and a number of other concerns might set the project back far longer than the developers had anticipated.

Fraser recently presented plans for the 3D theater to the public during a town hall meeting held at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel July 24. The proposed 3D theater plans to show the film, "Grand Canyon Adventure 3D" (GC3D) as its primary film. Other plans for the theater include possible showings of "Polar Express" during the Christmas holidays and, possibly, occasional first-run films. Fraser said the group hopes to appeal to travelers on the Grand Canyon Railway, as well as other visitors touring the area.

Local realtor and business owner Debi Zecchin encouraged members of the council to do what they could to accommodate Fraser's plans for the 3D theater.

"It seems like we should be encouraging a business of this caliber," she said, adding that tourism would get a strong boost in the downtown area should the theater be built in its proposed location. "Our downtown is really for the tourists. That's the livelihood of this town."

President and CEO of the Williams-Grand Canyon Chamber of Commerce Donna Eastman-Liddle agreed with Zecchin's assessment.

"Everything we have just seems to fit," she said. "And this seems to fit. If we have something of this caliber, businesses of this caliber will be attracted."


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