Southern Illinois theater, in disrepair, to be auctioned

DU QUOIN, Ill. (AP) - A movie theater that's long been a landmark in a southern Illinois community may be doomed after falling into disrepair.

The Southern Illinoisan reports that Du Quoin's Grand Theater will go up for auction later this month. But there's wide agreement that it may not be economically viable to redevelop the 104-year-old building.

Guy Alongi is the mayor of the community of about 6,000 people. He says a bank and the city have tried without luck to find buyers. He estimates renovation costs alone could be around $1 million.

Some residents are nostalgic. Sixty-eight-year-old Pete Riggio fondly recalls paying 25-cent tickets to watch Three Stooges movies at the theater. But he also says he understands the theater's time may be up and that the needed investment costs may be prohibitive.

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Information from: Southern Illinoisan, http://www.southernillinoisan.com