On Nov. 13 Andrew Somerville of Liberty Development and Tom Becker of Storyteller made the announcement last week that they had struck the deal, which Becker said is for 10 years and has an option for another 20, and hoped to move forward and build a theater in Edgewood.

Somerville said developing the property, which he hopes will attract other businesses with the theater as the anchor tenant, will cost about $2 million. Liberty Development will also build the theater, with input from Storyteller, and estimates for the 10 theater building varied from $3.5 to $5 million.

"It's considerably more expensive," Somerville said.

This is part of a larger project, he said. It's something that has been in the works for some time.

According to a news release from last year, the project was slated to start in the spring 2008.

In July 2008 the company they had agreed to work with, Trans-Lux Theaters, was purchased and became Storyteller Theaters. Meanwhile, the development ran into problems getting financing around the time the country's economy took a dive.

The project also ran into some problems when the town of Edgewood's sewer system, which is designed to serve the commercial core of the town, was delayed. That project is scheduled to be up and running by 2010, according to interim town administrator Karen Mahalick.

"We can't develop without sewer service," Somerville said. "That has been an absolutely key element."

Continuing with their plans, earlier this year the blueprints were changed to shave about 10 percent off the cost of building the theater and Somerville said he has secured financing for the project. Because of infrastruture costs, the planned location for the theater was also changed from south of Old Route 66 to the north side, near Interstate 40.

If the project goes well, the first movie tickets could be on sale by Christmas of 2010, he said.

The theater is planned to have a combination of traditional projectors and digital projectors and some theaters will be able to play three-dimensional movies. There are also plans for a cafe that will serve a variety of food an beverages, not just sodas, popcorn and hot dogs.

Somerville had invited Mahalick to the meeting but she was delayed and couldn't make it, she said.

"We wish them luck," she said in an interview after the meeting.

She also mentioned that the town won't likely start wastewater flows until a dispute with the New Mexico Department of Transportation is resolved. The issue is over which entity should pay to fix a section of eroding asphalt at the turning lane from northbound N.M. 344 to eastbound Church St., near the Walmart. She said that is a stopping point for the sewer project, which can't reach the Liberty Development property until the issue is resolved.