In an effort to spur downtown redevelopment, Riverhead Town in 2004 changed its zoning code to restrict movie theater uses to the downtown area only. (Over the years, the Town Board had actually approved several permits for movie theaters on Route 58, but they never got built, for various reasons.)
Supervisor Sean Walter, who says he will not support a code change to allow movie theaters anywhere but downtown, also says Regal Cinemas, which he has been trying to convince to come downtown, "would come to Route 58 in a heartbeat." Movie theater companies want to be in shopping malls, not in downtown areas, the supervisor says. But having a movie theater downtown would be so beneficial to downtown revitalization, it's worth it for Riverhead to stick to its guns on this, according to the supervisor. Regal is seriously considering downtown Riverhead and the supervisor believes Regal will come around. See story.
What do YOU think? Should Riverhead allow a movie theater to be built outside of downtown, on Route 58, where, apparently, at least one major movie theater company is willing to locate a new multiplex?