Cinerama has been re-agendaed by GroenLinks (Astrid Kockelkoren) and SP (Theo Coskun) in the City Council. On Wednesday, June 18, the topic will be discussed during the Committee for Building, Housing, and Outdoor Spaces. For now, it is listed as the second agenda item and is expected to be addressed around 10:30/11:00 AM. For those who wish to attend in person, it is advised to arrive around 10:00 AM.
Following several discussions by the action group Cinerama must remain with, among others, aldermen Zeegers and Kasmi, it is clear that there is support from the municipality to preserve both the building and its function. However, at present, it remains unclear what the municipality can and wants to do to ensure that the monument can continue to exist sustainably. While agreements between the private owner and tenant are not directly a matter for the city administration, there should still be possibilities for the municipality to explore ways to protect the building.
“The Tuschinski of Rotterdam”
Cinerama, a municipal monument and true Rotterdam heritage, is, as known, under threat of closure. The lease agreement between the property owner, real estate developer VolkerWessels, and tenant Kinepolis was terminated as of January 1, 2026. Due to repeatedly short-term leases, no investments have been made in maintenance, despite its status as a municipal monument. An experienced party, with whom the action group is in regular contact, is interested in continuing the operation of Cinerama from January 1, 2026, onwards, with attention and care for the building. This party has made a concrete proposal for a restart to VolkerWessels, backed by commitments from investors. However, this proposal is not yet agreed upon.
“The three cinemas have their own audience and complement each other. This way, you get a distinctive range of cinemas,” says Cobie de Vries, director of LantarenVenster (AD, May 20, 2025).
Currently, VolkerWessels is in negotiations with parties such as KINO. The content of the negotiations has not been disclosed by either party. In an article in AD on May 20, KINO expressed support for the Cinerama Must Remain campaign, but how and in what way this support manifests is unclear, as there has been no contact with the action group or Cinerama itself.
Aside from the concern that Cinerama may lose its unique character with another existing operator, which would diminish the diversity of the city’s film offerings, there is an even greater concern that it will once again be rented out on a short-term basis, without any maintenance obligations. This will not be good for the condition of the building. The action group Cinerama Must Remain is committed to the sustainable preservation of the historic cinema and is working towards acquiring the building.
