Movie Complex Opens to Favorable Reviews, Fair Crowds : Downtown: Those in attendance in first week reflect the city’s diversity. Cold weather hurts turnout a bit.

People who braced against the cold during the opening weekend of a new downtown theater complex may have just gone for a movie and a bag of popcorn. But to local merchants and city officials, the crowds--even though smaller than anticipated--raised hopes that downtown Long Beach is coming of age.

“I think it’s just amazing. It’s incredible to believe it’s the same part of town,” said Moins Rastgar, co-owner of System M restaurant on Pine Avenue.

AMC officials said they were pleased with attendance but declined to reveal how many moviegoers attended AMC Pine Square 16 during its first weekend. But they acknowledged they will not sell 25,000 tickets the first week as they had projected.

“We expect to have about 16,000 by the end of the first week,” said Mark Garcia, senior manager of the theater at 245 Pine Ave.

AMC and city officials attributed the lower number of moviegoers to temperatures in the 40s and Christmas shopping that leaves little room for entertainment.

“Once we get rolling and established, we could have 25,000 to 30,000 a week,” Garcia said.

Many downtown residents who attended the opening weekend said they plan to catch a movie regularly.

Jo Ann Smith biked to the theater with her 5-year-old daughter, Stephanie, on Friday night. Bill Maala, 31, said he took a bus. And Diane Hendrickson, 39, walked to the complex with her three young children and a friend.

“This is great,” Hendrickson said. “I was just telling my daughter that the seats were wonderful. And it’s very convenient. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s great.”

Maribel and Richard Gonzalez also live within walking distance and said they were thrilled they no longer have to travel to Lakewood or the Long Beach Marina Pacifica Mall to see a movie.

“It’s a nearby place where people can come to,” said Maribel Gonzalez, 23. “I’m glad this has happened.”

The crowds at the downtown theater complex reflected the diversity of Long Beach. At least half the weekend crowd was minorities. Some noted, however, that the crowds at nearby upscale restaurants were mostly white.

“You look just down the block, by Mum’s (restaurant) and it looks like a (fancy) car show,” said moviegoer Dave Graef. “Most of the people who come to the movies here can’t afford $50 dinners for two people.”

But John Morris, owner of Mum’s and president of Downtown Long Beach Associates, said not all the eateries on Pine Avenue are expensive. “There’s something for everyone,” he said.

Merchants and city officials are banking on the 3,600-seat theater to attract people not only to the movies, but to stores, restaurants and the nearby mall.

Morris said Pine Avenue restaurants did excellent business over the weekend. As a result, several Pine Avenue restaurants, including Mum’s and System M, have extended their hours to accommodate new patrons.

Fred Gigliotti, owner of the A&M; Deli on Pine Avenue, said he too has extended his hours, but the results have been mixed. Friday night, the deli was packed. But Saturday and especially Sunday, he said, the crowds were average.

Gigliotti eagerly anticipated the opening of the theater. Even though construction blocked the sidewalk in front of his restaurant and cost him $200 a day, he said, he supports the complex.

“The city needed something,” said Gigliotti, who first opened a downtown restaurant in 1953.

For many residents, heading to downtown Long Beach for entertainment would have been unthinkable before the opening of the movie theater.

Although crime has decreased in the area and several restaurants have opened in recent years, many residents view downtown as a rundown place where panhandlers harass passersby and criminals lurk in corners.

“I had no reason to come down here before,” said Chris Miller, 44, a longtime resident of eastside Long Beach.

“Most of my neighbors probably wouldn’t come down here. There’s a definite stigma on the eastside about downtown and crime and such,” said Miller, who took his 10-year-old son, Kaleb, to the movies Saturday.

But he plans to be back. “I like the state-of-the-art screens, clear sound and comfortable seats.”

Hendrickson, who lives downtown, said she is not fearful of the area. “People are just friendly downtown. I love Long Beach,” she said.

Rastgar, of System M, said many of his weekend patrons were from the eastside. “I talked to a lot of people who came into the restaurant and 80% of them said they have never been here before and they liked it,” Rastgar said.

Rastgar praised the Police Department for the high number of officers assigned to the area during the weekend. “It helps to overcome the perception of downtown as unsafe. There are some people who think that if you come to Pine Avenue, you’ll get shot.”

Others, however, questioned whether the number of police officers walking and bicycling around the area heightened the feeling that downtown is unsafe.

Morris, of the downtown business group, said he thought leaving four police cars parked on Pine Avenue between Broadway and 3rd Street intimidated some people.

Garcia, of AMC, said that some customers saw the police cars and asked: “What happened? Why are cops here?”

Lt. William Swanson, who heads the traffic division, said police treated the opening as a special event and increased the number of officers.

“I don’t know if it was overkill or not. It’s always overkill if it goes smoothly and nothing goes wrong. But it’s not overkill if something goes wrong,” Swanson said.

Police reported no arrests or mishaps during opening weekend. They do not plan to beef up patrols in the area during future weekends, except for New Year’s Eve, when the street will be closed off for a party.

Times community correspondent John Pope contributed to this story.