Calling the theater "crappy" and "dirty," many students are unconcerned about the potential eviction of the Cinemagic 3 movie theater.
Many students choose to go to the newer Bridge: Cinema de Lux theater next door to watch movies.
Cinemagic has, according to University officials, failed to pay approximately $100,000 in rental payments over several months and may be forced to vacate from its space at 3925 Walnut St.
But Cinemagic President Andrew Sheppard said that the reasons behind the threatened eviction deal more with the theater's role in the local community and the University's greater goal of revamping the 3900 block of Walnut Street.
Cinemagic has a 20-year lease that University officials said is slated to end next year.
Some patrons seem to be ready to see it go.
Cinemagic "was convenient when I was a freshman, but once The Bridge opened, I found myself always going to The Bridge or exploring downtown theaters," College senior Anthony Neshewat said.
Once the construction of The Bridge was complete, many students flocked to the new theater to enjoy the amenities offered.
"If you have a movie theater with everything brand new," Wharton senior Samuel Assis said, "and another one that is old and crappy, then the choice is obvious."
However, Assis, pointing out that the two movie theaters provide different movie selections, said his moviegoing "is a combination of the two. Sometimes if they're not showing a movie I want to see at The Bridge, then I will go to Cinemagic."
Others are more reluctant to patronize the older theater.
"I would only go if they had something that I really, really wanted to see," College senior Allison Fandl said.
Fandl has never even stepped inside the Cinemagic theater, like an increasing number of students, especially freshmen and sophomores, who have always had the option of going to the Bridge.
After hearing rumors about dangerous events occurring during movie showings, Fandl kept her distance.
"I've heard bad things from locals and from students and everything," Fandl said. "I never really wanted to go in because I was always kind of scared with those stories in my mind."
"The Bridge is so much bigger and more well-lit and they have a better selection of movies," Fandl added.
When Cinemagic was the only option for viewing movies, Neshewat went more often.
"I thought it was kind of dirty," he said. "I know a friend of mine would call it 'Ghetto Magic.' ... The atmosphere wasn't that appealing."
Neshewat said he would not be disappointed if the movie theater closed. He just hopes that "the space will be used for something useful."
