A movie theater complex could be coming to downtown Poughkeepsie.
At this week's common council meeting, the city's director of economic-development briefed the council on discussions with Bowtie Cinemas.
The company is considering spending $11 million on a 40,000 square foot, nine-theater complex at the city parking lot on North Hamilton Street.
Council members seem to like the idea, especially because most proposals they've been getting have been for housing.
Since the site is just blocks from many homes many parents are excited about the possibility of Bowtie coming to the city.
"That'd be really nice, because the only movie theater we have here is at the Galleria Mall,” said mother Maria DeJesus of Poughkeepsie. “That's too far."
Poughkeepsie Economic Development Director Paul Calogerakis said Bowtie representatives estimate the project would create as many as 90 jobs: 50 in construction, 5 in management and 35 part time jobs.
While a fiscal impact study has not been done, Calogerakis said that preliminary research indicates Bowtie's presence would attract about 300,000 visitors to Poughkeepsie each year.
He also told the council on Monday evening that Bowtie seems very motivated.
"They very quickly landed on that site," he said.
Council members said they will do their own due diligence in the coming days, before voting at the next meeting on a request to approve an exclusive six-month negotiation period between the city and Bowtie.
Ward top Councilman Chris Petsas said the project would be a huge win for families in downtown.
"It's really amazing," Petsas said. "If we can bring something like that to downtown Poughkeepsie where people don't have to go to the mall or Roosevelt Theater and spend their dollars there, and we can have them spend them in downtown, it makes all the sense in the world to me."