Memories Theatre was located for decades on the Parkway.
Renovations started about three weeks ago.
Dee Gallon says the Parkway location brought in more business.-
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By SAMANTHA SARACINO
6 News Reporter
PIGEON FORGE (WATE) - A Pigeon Forge attraction is returning to its old location, despite plans for a new development there.
Memories Theatre was located for decades on the Parkway, but moved down the road to a smaller venue last year.
The theater moved because Westgate Entertainment President John Joslyn, owner of the Titanic Museum across the road, announced plans to put a new water attraction on the property.
Joslyn says plans for Water Magic are going on as scheduled, so Memories Theatre may not be home for long.
Memories Theatre owner Dee Gallon says the move has not worked as well as hoped.
"It's smaller and it's a beautiful little facility, but there's just been too many times we haven't had enough seating for our people," said Gallon. "It was formerly a restaurant so it took a lot of renovation to turn it into a theater."
Gallon says the Parkway location brought in more business.
"It's the Parkway. If its not on the Parkway it's not going to happen in this area," she said.
So the theatre is moving home. Renovations started about three weeks ago.
"On June the 1st of this year I realized that the huge process that was going on here kind of stopped and I was responsible for the expenses on this and so forth," said Gallon. "I had to have a meeting with my people to see whether or not we should stay where we were and try to lease this place out or try to take it back. So we did both."
Workers are already putting the building back to its original state.
"We came back to a shell; a total shell," Gallon said. "No lights. No air. No seats. No stage. No restrooms. They went as far as to sell toilets."
Joslyn says his company is making progress on developing the water park and still plans to open on the same property. That means Memories Theatre may not be home for long.
"Dee and I talked a couple weeks ago and she said, 'John, I need to do something in the interim before you bulldoze my building,'" Joslyn said. "She said, 'I'm going to open my building.' And I said, 'Dee, that's a waste of money, but you can do that.'"
Joslyn says work on Water Magic should be finished by spring 2015. Gallon is hoping to reopen at the old location by October 4, the theater's 23rd anniversary.
Gallon says she will re-open no matter what the future plans are for Water Magic.
