It’s the news we knew was coming, but it’s still a sad day for Sterling residents who spent years seeing movies at the Regal Countryside 20 multiplex in the Regal Plaza off Route 7. The Washington Business Journal is reporting the shuttered theater property has been sold to Beazer Homes, a national home builder.
The Regal Countryside has been struggling for several years, and last year, county leaders approved a plan to redevelop the property into a residential townhome community. Nevertheless, the lifespan of the movie theater was cut short when Regal closed down all of its theaters at the peak of the pandemic. Most Regal locations have reopened, but not the Regal Countryside, which is gone for good.
The Regal Countryside opened in 1996. It was one of the earlier movie theaters in the area as eastern Loudoun County boomed, but couldn’t keep up with the competition as new theaters such as the Alamo, the Starplex (now AMC), the Regal Fox, the Regal Dulles Town Center, and the Cobb Cinemas (now CMX) opened.
Other early theaters in the area include the long-gone Town Center Cinema in Sterling that opened in 1973. Before that, there was the Moorcones Theatre in Purcellville, which opened in 1949. And the Tally Ho Theater opened in Leesburg in 1931 and is still in operation.
(Image at top: Regal Countryside 20)
Not so fast! -The Tally Ho Theater has never ceased operating (despite the competition from Regal and other theaters you mentioned that caused it to close) although it’s primary production is now full time performing arts/ music venue rather than a movie house as it was since its inception in 1932. It’s always been a dual purpose venue with a stage although mainly a first run cinema, however, it’s hosted many music performances over the years prior to my ownership in 1998.
One thing you can count on: It’ll never be townhouses or a flooring store.
Donald Devine
I probably won’t miss the theater that much although I’ve seen quite a few movies there. what I dread is more townies being built in Sterling. What do you think the over/under on starting prices will be for these townies? 600/700K???
What amazes me is that developers are allowed to make political contributions to our Supervisor. The Supervisor then signs off on allowing zoning that exceeds the use that was in effect before accepting the contribution.
Just saying…
We fired Volpe for taking contributions from this developer. Briskman at least got them to double or triple their proffer. Not much else could be done. These rich jerks will just let properties sit vacant for years rather than let us have a vibrant community. To us, it kills our community. To them, it’s a tax deduction in some town they don’t give the tiniest rat turd about.
Comments are closed.