Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Cinerama Dome Reopening Push Paused After Police Halt Projection Protest

The pause highlights how a private owner can stall a landmark’s return despite broad public pressure.

Overview

  • Ben Steinberg paused his five-year Save the Cinerama Dome effort after LAPD, responding to the owner’s complaint, shut down a projection protest on Friday night.
  • Steinberg said his lawyer advised him to stop after the Forman family threatened harassment claims, and police confirmed no arrests or citations were issued.
  • Decurion, the Forman family’s company that owns the site, did not comment, and Steinberg said the police complaint was the first direct response he has received from the owner.
  • City filings show sporadic permit activity, including an October application to renew the alcohol license that promised jobs and safety improvements when the theater reopens but offered no timetable.
  • Industry reports say reopening would require expensive code and equipment upgrades, and the Dome’s projection room is reportedly misaligned for 70mm, adding cost and complexity to any restart.