Press Releases

MONTEREY, Calif. – May 14, 2007 – Monterey County, .a tourism destination to over 3,000,000 tourists annually, is proud to welcome Bella Cinema LLC and IMAX Theatres to their new home on historic Cannery Row.  Scheduled to open May 1, 2008, the new 16,000 square foot IMAX Theatre will boast 290 seats, both 3D and 2D giant screens, crystal clear images and 12,000 watts of digital sound.  The new IMAX Theatre will be located in the former Edgewater Packing Company building located at 640 Wave Street in Monterey California.

Architects, Butler, Rosenbury & Partners have plans and designs in place, in conjunction with general contractor Cinecon Group, Inc. to preserve the exterior of the historic Edgewater and rebuild the interior to reflect the industrial history of the sardine packing industry which inspired the writings of John Steinbeck.   The Theatre will feature the Edgewater Café & Bistro, a sushi bar located on the top floor within the building, as well as a 50-foot continuous water feature within the building and entry. 

Currently, there are over 280 IMAX Theatre affiliates in over 40 countries.  A popular tourist attraction, more than 800 million people have visited IMAX Theatres around the world.  "We are very excited to welcome IMAX Theatres to Cannery Row," says Ted Balestreri, general managing partner of the Cannery Row Company, "IMAX provides both an interesting and educational entertainment for people of all ages, and we are thrilled to be able to offer this service to the local community and visitors alike."

The Edgewater Packing Company was constructed between 1944 and 1946 during the declining years of the Monterey sardine fishery.  The lower brick portion of the structure was actually developed in 1917 as the first fish reduction plant on Cannery Row by Frank E. Booth, a fish processing pioneer who is considered the "Father of the Monterey Sardine Industry." In 1950, the Edgewater fell out of the canning business, and was converted to a warehouse.

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About Cannery Row
Cannery Row was made famous in John Steinbeck's classic novel depicting life in the "the sardine capital of the world." Today, Cannery Row is a beautiful waterfront playground where visitors from all over the world seek a California getaway as authentic as the coast itself. Cannery Row remains a treasure of California's Central Coast, where a discovery awaits every type of visitor. For more information, call Lisa Thomas of Armanasco Public Relations, Inc. at 831.372.2259 or visit the official Cannery Row website at www.canneryrow.com.