Beloit man fighting to save movie theater at Carnation City Mall

ALLIANCE – For some, it's a bar or restaurant. For others, it might be a fitness center or a golf course.

For still others, their church is the place they feel most comfortable.

For Garrett Ball, the Cinemark Carnation Cinema 5 movie theater in Carnation City Mall is his place to relax, have fun and be around friendly faces.

It's also a place he and his mother consider a comfort zone. Ball has autism.

More: Carnation Mall redevelopment to have Meijer, up to six other retailers

"Everything is just so great here," the 26-year-old Beloit man said.

Ball – who favors action, sci-fi and comic book films – sees a movie almost every Friday at the theater. He really liked the "Top Gun" sequel.

But he is worried.

Ball hopes a redevelopment of the dying mall into a new shopping plaza anchored by a Meijer will not cost him his comfort zone.

"Well, if this is gone, I would have to go to Canton," he said, describing the theaters that operate at The Strip in Jackson Township.

Superman and muffins

But Ball said he hopes the theater has a future – either as it currently exists or as a new facility in the Alliance area. "I got wonderful memories here," he said.

One that stands out is when the 2016 film "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" hit theaters and the ticket customer line went down the mall and around a corner.

"I got my Superman shirt with a Batman jacket. We were waiting to get in and this older gentleman, God bless him, handed out mini blueberry muffins for the people in line," Ball said.

Then there was the time "Avengers: Age of Ultron" premiered in 2015.

"Two cute little kids were dressed like Iron Man and Hulk," Ball said, "and when the movie was over, this guy came in with Thor's hammer a hat and shouted real loud, 'For Odin of Asgard.'"

What is the theater's future?

Alliance Mayor Alan Andreani said he has not heard of the plans for the theater, but officials might learn more when the sale of the property closes.

Multiple attempts to seek comments from the developers, Fairmount Properties in Shaker Heights and Cinemark in Texas, were unsuccessful.

Ball, on his own, said he contacted Cinemark and supermarket chain Meijer, which is expected to open in the Carnation City in late 2023.

He received "look into it" responses.

'They know him.'

Kelley Moffatt said the Cinemark theater has been a safe haven for her son, who gets to socialize and be part of a community. A number of the employees know him by name.

Ball was diagnosed with autism at age 3, and had significant speech delay and sensory issues.

Moffatt said her son has overcome those challenges. Movies played a role in his growth. For example, he would use his hands as puppets to act out movies as a child.

"He's grown so much and movies helped bring communication back into his world," she said. "It's just such a big part of his life and I feel safe for him here. They know him."

Moffatt, a social worker, said the Alliance theater is only a 15-minute drive from their home. The next closest theater is 40 minutes away, in the Canton and Boardman areas.

"It gives me comfort as a parent that I can drop him off here and I can go grocery shopping, and then come back and pick him up," she said. "I won't be able to do that easily in Canton."

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On Twitter: @bduerREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Beloit man wants Cinemark theater spared in Meijer redevelopment