By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — For one lucky writer, owning the Temple Theatre in Houlton may soon become a reality.
Mike Hurley, Temple Theatre owner, announced late last week that he was going to “give” the business away to one lucky writer as part of an essay contest.
While the winner will get the keys to the theatre, and become a landlord for the tenants in the office space above the building, Hurley will also be making money on the deal. Each essay must be accompanied by a $100 entry fee and there must be a minimum of 3,000 entries in order for a winner to be chosen. Should the minimum number of entries not be received, the entry fees will be returned.
“This is a very careful thing we are doing,” he said. “We’ve invested over $10,000 in lawyers fees and hiring a marketing company to market this contest nationally.”
Hurley came up with the essay idea for Houlton after seeing how well the owner of the Center Lovell Inn in Lovell did with a similar contest for that establishment. That contest drew more than 7,000 entries at $125, resulting in more than $900,000, but also generated a fair amount of controversy as some applicants complained about the contest. The state police investigated that contest and determined the owners violated no state laws.
“For this whole thing to work (financially) we have to get enough people to enter,” he said. “So we tried to keep the price down. Some of these essay contests go for as much as $250 per entry.”
Groups are welcomed to enter the contest, Hurley said. One entry could also be done by 10 individuals, for example, therefore the cost would only be $10 per person. Hurley said his lawyers have assured him that every legal step has been followed in starting up the contest and he could only dream that his contest goes as well as the one in Lovell.
Essays must be no more than 250 words centered on the subject “Why would you be the best person (or family or group) to be the new owner of the Temple Theatre in historic downtown Houlton, Maine?”
All entries will be judged anonymously, Hurley said, so the essay should not reveal too much information about the author. The lucky winner will get 30 days of training with Hurley and Patrick Blanchette, the theatre manager, and will also receive $25,000 in cash, provided the minimum number of entries are received.
The building is valued at $203,000, according to Houlton tax documents, while the adjacent parking lot is valued at $32,700 and the winner will be responsible for all property taxes. Hurley stressed the business is debt free.
The theatre has two screens with seating for 200 people per theatre.
The property features a three-story building, with the first floor solely devoted to the theatre. The second floor is office and large “owner” apartment that could be rented. The third floor is owned by the Masonic Monument Lodge #96 in a “condominium” type agreement. The Temple Theatre provides the heat free of charge to the Masons.
A resident of Belfast, Hurley purchased the Temple Theatre in 2002 at a time when the business was in dire need of a facelift. Numerous upgrades were made to restore the theatre to its former glory days and it was re-opened to much fanfare.
Then in 2014, like so many other small theatres across the nation, the Temple Theatre took the plunge to digital projection movies and the theatre closed briefly so that the conversion from 35mm film to digital projectors could take place.
The theater business has operated since 1918 and there have been many owners and operators during that timeframe. Hurley stated it was his goal ever since he purchased and restored the theatre to sell the cinema to, ideally, a local resident so that movies would remain a Houlton tradition for many years to come.
Attempts to sell the business outright have been unsuccessful, prompting Hurley to explore a more unconventional method. He also owns a three-screen movie house, the Colonial Theatre, in Belfast, which is also for sale.
“I am 65-years-old,” he said. “When I started in Houlton, my goal was to fix (the theatre) up and sell it to someone local. For whatever reason, that has not happened. The theatre is a money-making business that should have attracted a local buyer, but never did.”
Blanchette has served as the Temple manager for the past 10 years, but recently took on a new position with the University of Maine, which also prompted Hurley to try to move the business.
“I can’t say enough good things about Patrick,” he said. “I am not interested in finding another manager. It needs a new owner, not another manager.”
Entries have to be in by Jan. 15, 2016. For more information, visit, www.templemovies.com.
