reopening

Will Cinerama Dome ever reopen? Maybe.

Dome Center LLC, the company that owns the property along Sunset Boulevard upon which the iconic movie venue stands, filed an application for a conditional-use permit to sell alcohol for on-site consumption at the Cinerama Dome Theater and adjoined multiplex Tuesday.

According to the application filed by the company’s representative, Elizabeth Peterson-Gower of Place Weavers Inc., Dome Center is seeking a new permit that would “allow for the continued sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in conjunction with the existing Cinerama Dome Theater, 14 auditoriums within the Arclight Cinemas Theater Complex, and restaurant/cafe with two outdoor dining terraces from 7:00 am – 4:00 am, daily.” This would be a renewal of the current 10-year permit, which expires Nov. 5.

The findings document filed with the City Planning Department also mentions that “when the theater reopens, it will bring additional jobs to Hollywood and reactivate the adjacent streets, increasing safety and once again bringing vibrancy to the surrounding area.” No timetable for this reopening was indicated.

A representative for Dome Center LLC did not respond immediately Friday to a request for comment.

The Cinerama Dome, which first opened in 1963, has been closed since it was shut down at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. After it was announced in April 2021 that the beloved theater would remained closed even after the pandemic, it was revealed in December of that year that there were plans for the Cinerama Dome and the attached theater complex to eventually reopen.

In 2022, news that the property owners obtained a liquor license for the renamed “Cinerama Hollywood” fueled the L.A. film-loving community’s hope that the venue was still on track to return. But the Cinerama Dome’s doors have remained closed.

At a public hearing regarding the adjacent Blue Note Jazz Club in June, Peterson reportedly indicated that while there were not yet any definitive plans, the property owners had reached out to her to discuss the Cinerama Dome next. Perhaps this new permit application is a sign plans are finally coming together.

Oct. 3 (UPI) — The government shutdown continues into Monday afternoon after the Senate failed to approve one of two proposed temporary funding measures on Friday.

The Senate voted 54-44 on a Republican-sponsored and House-approved continuing resolution that would have funded the federal government for another seven weeks while negotiating a budget for the 2026 fiscal year that started on Wednesday.

The measure needs at least 60 votes to overcome a potential filibuster and go to President Donald Trump for signing.

A counterproposal by Senate Democrats that would fund the federal government through the end of October but would add $1.5 trillion in spending and was defeated by a 46-52 vote.

The Senate convened at 11:30 a.m. EDT and adjourned at 3:57 p.m. following the defeat of the two temporary funding proposals.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., earlier said the government could reopen as soon as a funding bill is passed, but the Senate won’t reconvene until 3 p.m. on Monday.

Thune briefly discussed matters with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., during Friday’s floor votes but said he likely would have more success by meeting with others in the Senate Democrats’ caucus, CBS News reported.

Many senators were hopeful of reaching an agreement to end the legislative impasse and reopen the government, but Schumer urged his colleagues to oppose the House resolution, according to The Hill.

The GOP reportedly is willing to extend tax credits for the Affordable Care Act after they expired on Tuesday.

With the GOP controlling 53 Senate seats, it would need support from all Republican Senators and seven more from the Democratic Caucus to approve the House-approved measure, but Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has been the lone dissenting Republican vote.

Thune earlier said the Senate will adjourn until Monday if the Senate does not approve one of the funding resolutions, which would extend the federal government through the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has halted $2.1 billion in federal funding for public transportation infrastructure in Chicago and $18 billion for projects in New York City.

The Trump administration also canceled $7.5 billion in funding for energy projects in states carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 election.

President Donald Trump said his administration also will determine which federal agencies will be defunded and possibly eliminated.

Doncaster Sheffield Airport has been closed since the end of the 2022 summer season after its then owner, Peel Group, declared it financially unviable

Doncaster Sheffield Airport has moved one step closer to reopening following positive talks.

TUI and Ryanair have been in conversation with the group running the relaunch project, giving hope that the now mothballed airport could start jetting holidaymakers off once again.

Doncaster East and Isle of Axholme Labour MP Lee Pitcher announced the DSA Action Group “sat down with TUI’s UK & Ireland commercial director” and “chaired a positive DSA Action Group meeting with Ryanair, represented by their head of public affairs.”

“We discussed Ryanair’s position on Doncaster Sheffield Airport — and I’m pleased that they’ve agreed to be introduced to Fly Doncaster, the company that will manage the airport in partnership with international operator Munich International,” Mr Pitcher said, the Doncaster Free Press reported.

In January, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary refused to rule out returning his company’s flights to the North East airport, but admitted being based at the site was “a hard sell.”

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The CEO used an interview with Sky to push for air passenger duty (APD) to be scrapped, something he has called for regularly, despite airlines paying no tax on the very polluting fuel they use.

“I think its a very tough sell for somewhere like Doncaster in the shadow of Leeds Bradford. I wish them well but its certainly not part of our growth plans in the UK – which isn’t to say we wouldn’t put some flights back into Doncaster if APD was scrapped,” Mr O’Leary said.

“We certainly would look at it if it was the price of scrapping APD, we would guarantee to put flights back into Doncaster.”

Signing up airlines will be key to any future reopening of Doncaster Sheffield, which has been dormant since November 2022.

The City of Doncaster Council has pledged to have Doncaster Sheffield Airport up and running by spring 2026, according to West Bridgford Wire. This development follows South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard’s indication that a decision regarding the release of gainshare funding for the airport’s revival is expected in “early September”, a move seen as pivotal for the travel hub’s resurgence.

This new schedule signifies yet another postponement, with initial plans aiming for a summer restart. “The plan remains to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport in Spring 2026,” confirmed a spokesperson for Mayor Jones, acknowledging several dependencies still in play.

“Once we have the Gainshare decision signed off in early September we can finalise our plans, including progressing with our Airspace, signing-up airlines and freight providers and to employ and train the hundreds of staff required to operate an airport.”

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Previously reliant on TUI as its sole operator before the Peel Group shut it down due to financial woes, the airport’s future now rests with FlyDoncaster. The company, formed by Doncaster Council, is optimistic about the airport’s economic prospects once it reopens.

Back in 2016, the airport saw its busiest year, with 1.25 million passengers passing through its gates. German company Munich Airport International (MAI) is set to deliver operational and management expertise. Earlier in February, MAI’s managing director Dr Lutz Weisser mentioned it was “too early” to talk about specific airlines or destinations, but confirmed ongoing confidential talks with carriers.

“The UK is a very important aviation market and we are interested in Doncaster because it is all there. This is not a greenfield project, this is not something that needs to be built. You don’t have the risks of planning approval or construction and all these other things,” he explained, as reported by the BBC.

“It may need some renovation, and recertification is important, but it is all in place. It just needs a bit of polishing and then you have an airport and that is exciting.”

At a recent council meeting, Christian Foster, who is both the council programme director and director of FlyDoncaster, shared ambitious plans for diversifying airline operations at Doncaster. The Sun quoted him saying: “Working with our advisers from Munich we are very clear we want to target a number of airlines and have already been having those conversations for over 12 months with certain airlines.

“Having a strategy where you only have an airport with one airline doesn’t work for Doncaster and hence we want a minimum of four to five and that’s where we are working at. We are very keen to get our airspace returned back to 24 hours for next year.”

Meanwhile, TUI has teased the possibility of a return to Doncaster Sheffield Airport, which previously featured in its roster for flights to sun-soaked spots such as Cyprus and Spain. Reminiscing about former ties, a TUI spokesperson remarked in February: “TUI has always supported Doncaster Sheffield Airport, proudly flying customers from the region and were disappointed when the airport closed. We’re excited about actively engaging with stakeholders about a potential re-opening.”