A theater that has sat dark in downtown Overland Park since March 2020 could be headed for a second act. A group called Dream Theatre, LLC has pitched the city on restoring and reopening the historic Rio Theatre, and city leaders are now weighing up to $425,000 in financial assistance to help make it happen.
The proposal, first detailed by FOX4 Kansas City, centers on the 300-seat, single-screen cinema at 7204 W. 80th St. that has long been known for showing independent films. According to the station, the articles of organization for Dream Theatre, LLC were signed by Nat Smith, an actor and writer with connections to Heidi Gardner's projects on Saturday Night Live. Gardner is a Kansas City native and comedian, and a flyer shared in one of her Instagram posts points to plans for what's described as a Midwest Picture Palace, per FOX4's reporting.
What the City Money Would Cover
Of the proposed $425,000, up to $200,000 would go toward purchasing the property itself, with up to $225,000 earmarked as reimbursement for construction costs, FOX4 reports. The Johnson County Post, which reviewed city documents on the proposal, reports that Dream Theatre is formally asking the city for a $425,000 conditional grant to help buy the building and fund exterior work and other improvements.
Those same city documents describe Art Deco-inspired design elements, themed film nights, children's animated classics, concessions, a cocktail lounge and premium retail offerings as part of the vision, according to the Johnson County Post. Under the proposed grant terms, the theater would have to stay in operation for at least 10 years after the final grant distribution and would need to allow public use of its parking lot when the theater isn't running, the outlet reports. Dream Theatre has also requested a sales-tax exemption on building materials and costs through economic development revenue bonds.
Several Approvals Still Needed
The project is far from a done deal. The Johnson County Post's reporting notes the city council would still have to approve a funding agreement, sign off on a resolution of intent for the bonds, and eventually vote to issue them before any of it moves forward. No reopening date has been set, and the piece makes clear that final council action on the funding, bonds and purchase has not yet happened.
The Rio has been owned by brothers Ben and Brian Mossman, who also own Glenwood Arts in Overland Park, the Johnson County Post reported in earlier coverage. Accounts of the theater's history vary — some reporting says the Rio first opened in 1946 as the Overland Theatre, while other Johnson County Post coverage has described the Rio itself as first opening its doors in 2000, following a restoration the Mossmans began after buying the property in 1993, according to the Kansas City Star. The Star also reported that if the Rio reopened, Brian Mossman said it would show specialty films not offered at Glenwood Arts.
Why the Rio Went Dark
Earlier Johnson County Post reporting attributed the theater's continued closure to not enough workers and business still not being great, with the owners saying the pandemic and at-home streaming services have changed the way people watch movies. That lines up with broader industry trends: the Star cited a 2022 Gallup poll finding that 61% of Americans had not attended a movie in a year, and noted that Cinemark has said theaters nationwide have struggled to return to pre-pandemic attendance levels. The Mossmans had said they planned to wait for their busiest season — the fall and winter holidays — to gauge how business at Glenwood was doing before deciding on the Rio's future, per the Johnson County Post.
Downtown Boosters Welcome the Momentum
Local business owners and downtown advocates see the renewed interest as a bright spot. Angie Mutti, executive director of the Downtown Overland Park Partnership, told the Johnson County Post, “We're just really excited that there's some movement on it, and so far that project is going forward.” Mutti added that reopening the theater could draw visitors interested in the building itself, the theater and its arts programming, saying, “I think we'll get a lot of visitors.”
Katie Wieners, who owns Monstera Books located across the street from the Rio, told the outlet the project could support community growth and give people a place to connect. She said downtown Overland Park has momentum from the farmers market and new businesses, and that the current moment feels like a good time for the Rio to reopen. “The community I knew growing up feels like it is coming back,” Wieners said, per the Johnson County Post's reporting, adding that a reopened theater could serve as a space for community.
