Suburban Skyview: Movie marquee rises over shuttered theater

Round Lake Beach officials are hopeful the property at the shuttered Regal Cinema’s movie theater will once again become an entertainment destination. The property at 550 Rollins Road closed in February 2023, and last month crews began cleaning out the building.

The theater has been a draw for vandals, leading to boarded up windows and increased police patrols. In April, a fire was set in the structure. Two Lake Villa men have since been arrested and charged with arson. The theater had water and smoke damage due to the blaze.

Regal’s parent company, Cineworld Group, closed 39 locations last year in the United States, including Round Lake Beach and Bolingbrook. The pandemic was devastating to the industry, leading to Cineworld’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and closures. But, Regal continues to provide family entertainment, including $1 family movies, a couple days a week.