ST. PAUL, Minn. – More than $1 million in state Co-Vid relief grants were issued to southeast Minnesota movie theaters and event centers, including $80,000 to Cine 7 in Winona. The Winona theater is part of the 150-screen Cinema Entertainment Corporation of St. Cloud. The grants, from the state Economic Development Department, totaled $8.4 million for movie houses and $6.4 million for convention centers.

CEC Profile

CEC Theatres begab in 1955 in St. Cloud, Minnesota, as family-owned Drive -In Theatres with outdoor screens. In 1964 the company renamed itself  Cinema Entertainment Corporation and began building freestanding indoor theaters. The focus was small and mid-size communities. In 2002 CEC purchased the 70-screen Iowa based Central States Theatre circuit. In 2007, CEC Theatres sold 125 screens in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin to Marcus Theatres. Today CEC Theatres currently operates 150 screens in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Verbatim

Steve Grove, State economic development commissioner: “Convention centers and movie theatres are an important part of our economy that has been severely impacted by COVID-19. The state and our team have worked hard to award these grants quickly to help these venues weather the pandemic and bounce back during Minnesota’s economic recovery.”

CEC recipients statewide

> Albert Lea: Mall Cinema 7. $80,000

> Alexandria: Midway 9 Theatre, $100,000

> Andover: Andover Cinema, $150,000

> Bemidji: Bemidji Theaters, $150,000

> Fergus Falls: Westwood Theatre, $60,000

> Marshall: Marshall 6 Theatre, $70,000

> Mountain Iron: Virginia 6 Theatre,  (temporarily closed), $70,000

> Owatonna: Northwoods Cinema 10 (temporarily closed), $110,000

>Winona: Winona 7, $80,000

Non-CEC recipients in southeast Minnesota

> Harmony: Jem Movie Theater, $15,000

> Red Wing: Cinema 8, $90,000

> Rochester: CMX Chateau 14, $150,000

> Rochester: Galaxy 14, $150,000

> Rochester: Gray Duck Theater and Coffeehouse, $15,000

> Rochester: Hollywood 12 Theatres, $130,000

> Rochester: Mayo Civic Center, $500,000

> Spring Grove: Spring Grove Cinema, $15,000