By CrossRiverWatch Admin
The Cross River State Tourism Bureau says the Cinema at the Marina resort in Calabar will soon reopen.
This follows renovation and other works at the building hosting the cinema in the resort which began in the last quarter of 2020.
Following the departure of Filmhouse Cinemas in 2018 due to intimidation and corruption, the Bureau brought in Marcello Gustavo (Mgus) Cinema later that year, but, they wound up operations in 2019 leading to a decline in patronage for the resort.
And, the bureau in a statement signed by its marketing manager, Charlz Ada, the State, “has reached an agreement with a popular Cinema Services delivery group, with regards the management of the Marina Resort Cinema.”
The statement was, however, silent on the name of the group and when the cinema will actually reopen.
But, it said the new head of the Bureau, John Atsu was “ecstatic at this development,” and “explained the painstaking efforts and sacrifices undertaken to get to where we are now.”
“Since September 2020, work had commenced on the cinema reactivation with evaluation and identification of items at the facility that needed replacement and upgrade,” the statement read.
Activities at the resort have increased to include Go Karts, a lounge and a carousel in addition to the games arcade, amphitheater which was converted to a cinema, slave history museum, bars and boat rides that were in existence.
Furthermore, “plans have also reached an advanced stage to refit the boutique hotel at the resort which in itself is a heritage building as it housed the first hotel East of the Niger,” the statement added.