TOLEDO (WTOL) - In the near future, residents and visitors to Toledo will be able to catch a movie at the Imagination Station.
In a press conference last year, it was revealed that Imagination Station is getting a new attraction in the form of the KeyBank Discovery Theater.
On June 5, groundbreaking has officially begun on the more than $10-million project.
Imagination Station says the premium, large format theater will offer immersive experiences for people of all ages and interests.
Premium theaters offer larger screens, better auto quality and up-close seating. The theater will feature a 4K, 58-foot-wide screen that will be able to project both traditional and 3D films.
The 10,000-square-foot theater will change the look of Imagination Station, and will seat up to 300 people.
The theater will feature 8 to 10 films a year that cover a variety of topics such as science, adventure, art, wildlife, nature, sports, and geography.
The theater will also be used for educational events, business and community uses and fun with family and friends, such as video game tournaments and movie marathons.
"I think it brings a whole different audience, a whole different impact," said Imagination Station director Lauri Hauser of the theater.
In addition to the theater, KeyBank is also making a gift to the science center to fund special access for local kids and TPS 3rd-graders. This will provide free field trips to the theater, STEM and reading-focused professional development for teachers, science festivals at TPS schools and family nights at the Imagination Station for families for 3rd-graders.
Lucas County children will also receive half-price admission to the theater on Saturdays with a paid adult.
The KeyBank Discovery Theater will also be available for rentals by private parties. It will be paid for by funding from the State of Ohio and a large number of private donors, most notably KeyBank.
The theater will be up and running by June 2020.
