Lights, camera, construction: Cinergy Cinemas gets Wheeling grant

The cinema at the Wheeling Town Center retail complex will receive a $91,300 grant from the village to help pay for building improvements.

The village board on Monday approved the grant for Dallas-based Cinergy Entertainment, which operates the Cinergy Cinemas at 401 W. Dundee Road.

Cinergy plans to construct a new entrance and vestibule on the building’s north side. The entrance now is on the east side.

“The new north entrance and vestibule will alleviate congestion and enhance the customer experience, particularly during winter months or inclement weather,” Economic Development Director Len Becker wrote in a memo about the project.

The east-side doors will remain but won’t be the primary entry or exit, Cinergy Entertainment representative Kade Pittman told the village board.

Relocating the entrance will allow the expansion and reorganization of concession operations, too, Becker said.

Other lobby improvements also are planned, including the installation of family friendly video games that will require electrical work, Becker said. The projects are expected to cost nearly $183,000.

Cinergy intends to begin construction of the new entrance immediately and to complete that work by late November. The video games are planned for spring 2026.

Cinergy has been an anchor at Wheeling Town Center since 2022. In 2024, trustees voted to support a Cook County property tax break for the business and a $50,000 grant to help pay for a new sign at the theaters.

“The village has remained steadfast in its support not only of Cinergy’s success but also of the many businesses and venues within Wheeling Town Center,” Village Manager Jon Sfondilis said in an email. “As a key regional destination, the Town Center continues to evolve through new offerings and ongoing improvements.”

The grant approved Monday will come from the village’s Restaurant, Entertainment & Retail Build-Out program, which reimburses business or property owners for up to half the cost of a renovation or improvement project.

Grants of up to $225,000 are available. They’re limited to commercial buildings within Wheeling’s tax increment financing districts, which use property tax revenue to raise money for public improvements.

Funds are distributed when work is completed.