The sign on Barrington Road still says “Open Christmas,” but the 30 movie theaters being built in South Barrington won’t be open until February, say AMC Entertainment officials.
Bulldozers have started roaming the 70 muddy acres at the northwest corner of Barrington Road and the Northwest Tollway, leveling the soil in preparation for paving the theater’s entrance road and enormous parking lot. Landscapers also have dug holes for truckloads of trees with leaves turned gold in the autumn air.
“Construction has not gone as planned,” said Bruce Trego, village administrator for South Barrington.
William Slusher, project manager for AMC, announced after a Plan Commission meeting earlier this month that the official opening of the 30-screen megaplex has been delayed due to poor soil conditions. According to Sonny Stuffle, director of marketing for AMC, the delay also was caused by the company’s plans to change the theater’s interior.
“We wanted to do something different” from some of the other megaplexes the company is opening around the country, Stuffle said.
The interior decorating of the lobby will be in one theme, while the two hallways leading to the theaters will be in two different themes, Stuffle said, although he had not seen the architect’s plans.
The delay will have little effect on South Barrington, Trego said.
South Barrington had pushed hard for AMC to buy the Midlands site from previous owner Union Pacific Railroad Co. after it had pitched the coveted property into an annexation tug-of-war with Hoffman Estates.
South Barrington offered to help AMC buy the 94-acre property known as the Midlands, Trego said.
South Barrington borrowed $5 million to give to AMC once the megaplex opens, Trego said. In exchange, AMC will turn over title to the remaining 22 acres of the Midlands that were not used for the movie complex and its parking lot, Trego said.
“That’s how we got the property back from Hoffman Estates, by offering to buy it,” Trego said.
“It’s a very good deal for the village because we’re getting 22 acres for free. And it’s very good for AMC because they could get a site that is in a prime location and start construction right away,” Trego said.
South Barrington also expects to pass a head tax on ticket admissions to recoup its investment, Trego said.
No grand opening date has been set, officials said.
